Roommates
by Icognito DeMimsy
Summary: Eponine, Cosette, and Les Amis are beginning their freshman year of college. Hiliarity and heartbreak will ensue. Too many ships to count. Once again, same AU as Housewarming and Tuesday, but set before.
1. Chapter 1

"So which bed do you want?"

Cosette blinked. A pixish face with thick hipster glasses swam back into focus. She stared.

"Okay," the girl said, swinging a bag up onto the top bunk. "I'll take top, I guess."

"That's fine," Cosette managed to stammer out. The girl smiled.

"Don't worry. I don't snore. And I probably won't be here much, so I won't get in your way."

"Oh, no," Cosette said, blushing. "I wasn't worried about that- I'm just-"

"First time away from home?"

Cosette grimaced. "Is it that obvious?"

The girl laughed. Cosette smiled in spite of herself. She had a very nice laugh, this girl. "I'm Ferre," the girl said, sticking an arm down through the bars of her bed.

"Cosette," she replied, reaching up and shaking the proffered hand. "Nice to meet you."

"Cosette," the girl said. "That's kind of a strange name."

"My real name's Euphrasie. And you're one to talk, Ferre."

"I'm really Elizabeth Ann Combeferre, but as part of my rebellion from my upper-class republican upbringing I just go by Ferre and I sleep with women."

Cosette chuckled. "Good to know."

"Don't worry though," Ferre said. "You're not my type. I like blondes."

A gentle knock came at the door. "Come in," Ferre called, flopping backwards. The door was pushed open and Cosette's father entered carrying a huge trunk. Ferre looked up in surprise. "Wow," she said, impressed. "You're strong."

"Thanks, Papa," Cosette said. "Ferre, this is my father, Jean Fauchelvaut. He's the head of the botany department in the school. Papa, this is Ferre."

Mr Fauchelvaut put down the trunk and nodded up at Ferre. "That's the last one," he said, his eyes filling with tears.

"Papa," she said, feeling her own eyes watering. He hugged her tight. "I'll still see you every day on campus," she murmured into her shirt.

"I know," he said. "But I'll still miss you like crazy."

He tilted up her head. "You be good now, young lady."

She nodded up at him and he embraced her again. "I love you, dear," he said.

"I love you too."

She walked him back down to his car. "Call me," he said.

"Every night."

He hugged her once more and was gone. Cosette stood for a moment, blinking tears out of her eyes, then turned to go inside. Through the salty blur she noticed a handsome young boy staring over a map at her. She blushed, sure she was the object of some "new freshman" jokes, and headed back up the stairs.

She arrived to find that the third girl had arrived and had claimed the single bed against the wall. Cosette smiled weakly at her. She looked familiar. She was ragged, in a very defiant sort of way, the kind of poor that keeps itself very clean without trying too hard to hide its poverty. She didn't return Cosette's smile, instead looking at her in a wary, almost appraising way. "I'm Cosette," Cosette offered. The girl finally smiled. "Eponine," she said, her voice carrying with it the husk of countless cigarettes.

Cosette looked at her. "I knew an Eponine once," she said, almost without realizing it. "When I was very small."

From up on her bed Ferre snapped her fingers. "Oh! You're Pontmercy's friend, aren't you?"

Eponine looked up at her, surprised. "You definitely are," Ferre said. "Didn't you come to a meeting once?"

"Yes," Eponine said. "I know Marius." She said his name almost reverently. Ferre looked like she was about to say something when a loud knock sounded and a tousled head poked around the door.

"Are there any naked girls in here?"

Ferre squealed in excitement. "Fey!" She jumped off the bed and ran to hug the head, which had revealed itself to be an actual boy, tall and good-looking, dressed kind of preppy and beaming. He wrapped his arms around the tiny Ferre, who barely reached his shoulder.

"Where's-"

"Right here," another voice said. A different boy stepped into view. Both Eponine and Cosette sucked in a little gasp of air. If the first boy was good-looking, this one was a god. His blond hair waved down his lofty brow and stopped just before a pair of ice-blue eyes. He stood ramrod straight, like a soldier. Everything about him seemed erect and poised, but he smiled down at Ferre and hugged her too.

"We're here, Enjolras," Ferre was saying. "We got out!"

"We always knew you would," the first boy said. "It's a shock Enjolras and I graduated."

"Yeah, because you almost got sent to juevy, assholes," Ferre said, mock slapping him. "Let me introduce you to my roommates," she said, turning back to face Eponine and Cosette with the air of a proud mother showing off her sons. "Eponine, Cosette, this is Enjolras, our chief, and Courfeyrac, our center. I think you two already know Eponine, she's Marius's friend. She came to a meeting once, remember?"

They nodded. "How do you do, ladies? Call me Fey," Courfeyrac said, shaking their hands. "I do remember you, Eponine. That's such a cool coincidence, that you're rooming with Ferre. Have you seen Marius lately, by the way?"

Eponine shook her head. "He's getting settled in."

"We'll have to pay him a visit, next, Enjolras."

Enjolras made a face. "Have fun with that," he said, turning back to Ferre. "Joly and Bosseut just called. They want to meet us at the Musain in twenty minutes."

Ferre nodded. "Lemme grab my coat. I can't wait for classes to start, can you?"

Enjolras smiled. Ferre grabbed her jacket off of her bed and bounded back over to her boys. "I'll see you two later?" she said questioningly.

"Definitely," Cosette said. She liked this girl. Eponine, too, nodded. Ferre waved cheerily and dragged Enjolras and Courfeyrac outside. Cosette smiled and began to unpack. Eponine had only two suitcases, she noticed with some surprise. Ferre had four, plus multiple boxes and books, and Cosette had six filled with clothes alone. She began to hang some of her dresses.

"So," she said, trying to make small talk. "What sort of a meeting did you go to?"

Eponine smiled. "Some stupid socialist thing. They all went to the same high school, I think."

Cosette nodded. Eponine shrugged. "I only went because Marius dragged me along. Although the eyecandy was pretty superb."

Cosette chuckled. "So I'd imagine, after seeing Enjolras."

"Yeah, he's a hottie, isn't he? Totally too-rebellious for a commitment, though. He and Marius don't really get along, I think."

"Marius?"

"Marius Pontmercy. He was my neighbor."

Cosette nodded. "Did you live in the same town as Ferre?"

Eponine shook her head. "Just the same voting district. My dad used to own a hotel, but it went out of business and we've had- trouble- since then." She looked sad. Cosette was rather sorry she'd asked. The room had suddenly become very awkward. Eponine looked up and shrugged. "But things are getting better, now that I have this scholarship and stuff."

Cosette nodded. "Yeah," she said awkwardly. Eponine smiled suddenly, a real smile. "Marius?" she said, her entire face glowing. Cosette marveled at how pretty she was before turning to see a boy in their doorway, the boy from downstairs, the one with the map. She stared. He was even more handsome up close. She felt distinctly dazzled. His gaze slid past Eponine and locked on Cosette. They looked at each other for a few moments, then Eponine cleared her throat. "Marius? Did you want something?"

The boy- Marius- didn't look away from Cosette. "I... just wanted to make sure you were settling in okay," he stammered. Eponine grabbed his arm and he looked down.

"I'm good," she said. "Why don't we go get some food?"

Marius nodded without seeming to realize what he was agreeing too. Then he looked back up at Cosette. Eponine looked back and forth between the two of them. Her face was strangely impassive. "Let's go, Marius," she said, pulling on his arm. He halfheartedly pointed towards Cosette.

"Would you like to-" he began.

"No." Eponine said, dragging him out into the hall and slamming the door with her foot. Cosette was left alone. _Shit,_ she thought. _Have I just fallen in love with my roommate's boyfriend?_


	2. Chapter 2

"So where do you want to go?" Eponine asked. Marius looked up, seeming surprised to find her there.

"Um," he said. "How about the Musian? It's nearby and Fey might be there."

"Sure," Eponine said. She considered telling him about the fact that she was rooming with the Combeferre girl but decided against it. Better not to remind him of her roommates.

The look on his face when he'd seen that Cosette girl! Eponine felt rather sick, actually. She'd been in love with Marius since he'd moved into the lot next door in their hovel in the slums. And even though he'd never seemed interested in her, at least he hadn't been interested in anyone else. But seeing him see Cosette- he was interested, that was sure. Eponine had a sour taste in her mouth and she found herself craving a cigarette, something she hadn't had since meeting Marius. She wished he would say something. She wished she could think of something to say.

They walked into Cafe Musain silently. The awkwardness was soon shattered by the sounds of an intense argument from the back room. Eponine looked worriedly at Marius. He smiled.

"It's fine," he said. "It's probably just R."

"Is that the gay one?"

"Which gay one?"

"The cute gay one."

"I'm honestly not sure who you're referring to."

"Never mind," Eponine sighed. She was going to need a chart to keep all these guys straight.

Marius pushed open the door and a loud cheer broke out. "Marius!" cried the boy from her room. Courfeyrac, she remembered. He pulled Marius into a hug, smacking Marius's ass at the same time. Marius turned bright pink. Eponine chuckled. He was adorable sometimes.

"And hey," Courfeyrac said, turning to Eponine, "You brought Ferre's roomie."

Marius looked curiously at Eponine. She shrugged. "Oh, yeah. I forgot to mention. That girl over there is my other roommate."

Marius nodded in pleased surprise. Ferre ran up to them. "Hey, Pontmercy. Hey, Eponine. What are you doing here?"

Marius smiled. "We're here in search of coffee. Hi, Enjolras."

The blond boy had just walked over and joined them. "Marius. Did you unpack all your stuff yet?"

Marius shook his head. "Nope. I couldn't find any room in the closet."

Courfeyrac looked chagrined. "Sorry. I'll dump some of my stuff in Feuilly and Bahorel's room."

One of the other boys turned. "Say what now?"

Courfeyrac just patted his head reassuringly.

Ferre took Eponine's arm and made the rest of the introductions.

"Y'all, this is Eponine, my roommate and Marius's friend."

A few grunts of acknowledgment. Eponine smiled weakly. There were so many of them. The last time Eponine had come to a meeting there had only been a few people. Ferre pointed out the rest of them and Eponine cataloged them in her brain for later reference. There was Feuilly, the painter who was for some reason wearing a shirt with the Polish flag on it; Bahorel, a hulking giant of a guy, at least six four with curly black hair and a bruise under one eye; Jehan, the poet, with long shaggy hair and a distracted air; Joly, the aforementioned hypochondriac; Bosseut, the 'unluckiest bastard in the universe' according to Ferre, and yet also one of the most cheerful, with a full, booming laugh; and R, who's real name was apparently Grantaire and who was currently talking about some girl who had dumped him for a banker.

There was also Enjolras, Combeferre, and Courfeyrac, and they seemed to form a sort of pyramid together. Enjolras was unquestionably the one who was calling the shots. When he spoke, everyone listened. He was just there, commanding and aloof,somewhat guarded. Eponine had seen him a few times leaving Marius's house and he had always walked in such a way that even Montparnasse didn't want to mess with him. He still had that strong, street-smart air that Eponine respected, having had that sort of an air for years. And yet Eponine noticed that he sometimes did let that guard down here, especially when Ferre would stand on tiptoe to whisper something in his ear or Courfeyrac would tease him about something or Grantaire would sarcastically rebut whatever point he was making.

Combeferre was the only girl and the smallest person in the room by far, but no one treated her any differently. In fact, they all seemed to seek out her opinion. Ferre had the last word on everything, and with good reason too. She was brilliant, that much was clear, but also level headed and compromising. A peacemaker, which seemed necessary in a group including Grantaire, Enjolras, and Bahorel, who seemed to live for debate.

Courfeyrac did not live for debate, he lived for jest. He was charming and witty everywhere he went. He was also, Eponine realized after a short conversation with him and Marius, a terrible flirt, regardless of gender. He was everywhere at once, holding together at least four different conversations at a time and doing it well. Courfeyrac entered a conversation and things instantaneously became interesting. He was the link, she realized, watching him draw the enormous Bahorel and wisp-like Jehan into a conversation together. You looked at all these men (and woman) and without those three, without Courfeyrac, Combeferre, and Enjolras, they didn't make sense together. But put those three in- Courfeyrac became the center for them to gravitate towards, Combeferre their guide, and Enjolras their chief, and them being together made the most sense in the world.

Eponine herself watched these goings-on of Les Amis de L'ABC from the outside for a while before she realized she was not alone there. Marius too stood slightly aloof from the crowd, not exactly resisting Courfeyrac's many attempts to draw him in, but never entirely committing.

"Are you okay?" she asked quietly.

"Yeah," he said. "I'm fine."

She just looked at him. He shrugged and stuck his hands in his pockets.

"They're talking politics right now," he said in a low voice. "We don't always see eye to eye on that sort of thing."

"But I thought you were super liberal. Isn't that why you got- you know-"

"Disowned?" Marius said with a slightly bitter laugh. "Yup. But it was less that I was super liberal than that my grandpa was super radical."

She nodded. Courfeyrac bounced up to them. "I'm heading back to our room. Enjy is staying here."

"Don't call me that," Enjolras called irritatedly from his seat next to Ferre.

Courfeyrac ignored him and continued. "You wanna come or stay?"

Marius shrugged. "I'll come, I guess. That okay with you, 'Ponine?"

"Of course," she said. "I'm going to finish my coffee." What she didn't say was that she'd be okay with just about anything he asked when he called her Ponine. He kissed her cheek before leaving and she felt her face flush, her cheek tingling like she'd been shocked.

Combeferre waved her over. She was sitting in a cosy-looking love seat, curled up next to Enjolras with her head on his shoulder. Eponine sat down next to her.

"Are you fucking serious right now?" Bahorel was shouting. "You can't possibly be saying we just fucking forget about the injustices done to us."

"Get your ears checked, Bahorel, that's not what I said at all," Ferre snapped back. "And watch your mouth, we have a female guest today."

Bahorel looked slightly abashed. Eponine grinned up at him. "Yeah, motherfucker, watch your fucking mouth around the fucking lady," she said. Everyone looked at her in surprise. Then Bahorel began to laugh and everyone else joined in.

"I like her," Bahorel said approvingly.

"Do you like me enough to buy me another latte?" she asked.

"Definitely," he said. "Anyone else want anything?"

"I'll have a tea, please," Enjolras said.

"Pansy," Bahorel muttered.

Enjolras smiled at Bahorel, all teeth and not very nicely. "What was that?"

Bahorel grinned back. "I said sure thing, fearless leader."

"That's what I thought," he said, settling back against the cushions. Ferre snuggled closer to him. "How's rooming with Fey and Marius going?" she asked, looking up at him.

"It hasn't even been two hours and I want to cut the cable cord."

"That bad?"

"Fey made me watch the Cardigans while he was unpacking."

Combeferre chuckled. "Don't you mean the Kardashians?"

Enjolras shrugged. "The bitchy plastic surgery family. I don't know." He reached into his jeans and pulled out a key. "Here you go, by the way," he said, handing it over to her.

"Thanks," she said. "Oh, yeah, Eponine," Ferre said, turning. "Do you mind if I give Enjolras a key?"

Eponine nodded casually. "As long as I don't come home to find you two banging all the time," she said.

Ferre and Enjolras both burst out laughing at this. "What?" Eponine said.

"She's gay," Enjolras chuckled.

"And he's in an exclusive relationship with liberty," Ferre said,smiling. "We're just friends. More like brother and sister, really." she ruffled Enjolras's hair. "And anyway, I'd worry more about Fey. He's probably already added you and Cosette to his 'Bang Before Break' list."

"His what?" Eponine said.

"Bang Before Break. People he wants to sleep with before winter break. Other kids want straight As or not to gain fifteen pounds. Fey wants to sleep with twenty percent of the freshman class. He's completely bislutty, so don't be disturbed if he steals your boyfriends."

"Who're we talking about?" the poet boy, Jehan, said,sliding in next to Eponine.

"Courfeyrac," Ferre said. Eponine noticed absently that Enjolras was once again simply scanning the room, taking stock of everyone and everything. Something about him reminded her of some of the really tough guys from her father's gang. She wondered where he had picked up so much of the trade and made a mental note to ask Marius.

Eponine stayed for another two hours at the Cafe, enjoying herself completely. There was something incredibly energetic about these people. Finally only Eponine, Ferre and Enjolras remained.

"Ready to head back?" Ferre asked Eponine.

"Yeah," she said. Enjolras stood.

"I'll walk you two over," he said. Ferre smiled up at him.

"Scared to go home?"

"I really don't want to see Fey and Pontmercy duking it out over closet space."

Ferre smiled. "Well, I'd say me casa est su casa so come crash with me, but then again it's also Cosette and Eponine's casa, so you'll have to take it up with them."

Enjolras smiled at her terrible pronunciation. "I think you should just stick to french," he said.

"Chez moi est chez toi," she quipped.

Eponine smiled at them. They reminded her somehow of her and Gavroche, with the gentle teasing and the protective something about the way they both looked at each other. There was some sort of a story there, she thought.

Enjolras dropped them off at their dorm and she and Ferre chatted their way up the stairs and reached their room in a few seconds. They pushed open the door to find Cosette asleep on her bed.

"Man," Ferre said. "I don't know about you, but I think she's got the right idea."

Eponine nodded thoughtlessly. There was something about Cosette asleep that was tickling the back of some memory. Something about those dark lashes spread out across her cheeks that for some reason made Eponine think of a little bird.


	3. Chapter 3

"Fuck no," Bahorel said.

Courfeyrac put his hands on his hips. "Why not?"

Bahorel shrugged. "I don't know, how about the fact that this is Feuilly and I's dorm, not your walk in closet."

"Let him do it, Bahorel," Feuilly said from his bed.

"Thank you, Feuilly," Courfeyrac said, returning to hanging his clothes on the rack.

"We have stuff that needs to go in there too," Bahorel said, still not satisfied.

"Like what?" Courfeyrac asked, not bothering to turn around.

"I have... a suit."

Now Fey did turn, raising his eyebrows. "A suit. One. And Feuilly has?"

"I have absolutely nothing," Feuilly said, still not looking up from his art history textbook.

"And I have all this," Fey said, gesturing to the pile of button ups and sweaters on Bahorel's bed. "And Marius has two suits and a tuxedo. And even Enjolras has that leather jacket he always wears."

Bahorel sighed. "Fine," he muttered. "But don't take this as an invitation to walk in here half naked all the time."

Courfeyrac smiled devilishly. "Now, Bahorel darling, since when have I ever needed an invitation to do that?"

Feuilly chuckled. "He has a point."

"Jesus christ," Bahorel muttered. "Where's Grantaire? I need a drink."

"Me too," a voice said from the doorway. They all turned to see Marius standing silhouetted against the hall lights.

"Hello, roomie," Fey said. "What's the matter?"

Marius wandered into the room and flopped on Bahorel's bed. Fey squeaked and pulled him off a vest before he could rumple it beyond repair.

"I met a girl today," he said.

"Boobs?" Fey said, hanging the vest up. Bahorel chuckled. Marius sat up and looked at Courfeyrac affrontedly.

"Courfeyrac."

"Sorry," he said, hanging another sweater. "But no, really, boobs?"

Another face poked its head around the door. "Hey guys," a soft voice said. "Mind if I join you?"

"Sure thing, Jehan," Feuilly said. "Bahorel, don't you dare light that in here."

Bahorel looked up guiltily, a cigarette dangling from his thick, calloused fingers. "It's like you have eyes in the back of your head," he said, pocketing the cigarette once more. Jehan came and sat down next to Marius, his long hair falling in his tired looking face. Fey studied him worriedly. "You look exhausted, Jehan. What's wrong?"

He shrugged. "I had a lot of boxes to carry up."

Feuilly finally looked up from his textbook. "Did you meet your new roommate?"

Jehan nodded. "Yeah. He seems... loud," he said, wrinkling his nose slightly. "But I'm sure it'll be fine. It's a nice room. And my roommate's not allergic, so I think I want to get a cat."

Courfeyrac's face lit up. "Oh, yes! You should totally get a cat. Oh my gosh, _We_ should totally get a cat! Marius, do you think Enjolras would let us have a cat?"

"No," everyone else in the room said simultaneously. Courfeyrac pouted.

"I knew I should have roomed with Ferre. She would let me have a cat." He grabbed another sweater off the pile. It was a testament to how well everyone knew each other that neither Jehan nor Marius asked why half of Courfeyrac's wardrobe was taking up residence in Feuilly and Bahorel's closet. "So anyway, Marius, tell us about this girl."

"A girl?" Jehan said, looking intrigued.

Marius sighed. "She's beautiful. But I didn't get to talk to her."

"Where'd you meet her?"

"She was in Eponine's room."

"Oh, that one? The cute one with the chestnut hair?"

Marius sat up. "You know her?"

"No, but I saw her today when I was in Ferre's room. How cool is it that your best girl friend and my best girl friend are roomies? It's like we're roomies."

Marius looked confused. "We are roomies, Fey," he said.

"Yeah, but now we're like, twice the roomies. Because both of us are going to go to the same place to get away from each other. Oh, and if you do end up tapping that cute other roomie, it would be twice the roomie on roomie thing."

No one except Jehan seemed to have followed this logic, and that was only because Jehan's logic was even more bass-ackwards than Courfeyrac's most times. "What's her name, Marius?"

Marius bit his lip. "I don't know."

Courfeyrac paused, thinking. "Combeferre told me. It was a really weird name. Eu... U... Ursula, maybe?"

"Like the monster lady from Ariel?" Jehan said.

"I have to see her again," Marius sighed.

"Then stop by their dorm."

"It's not that simple."

"It kind of is," Feuilly said. "I mean, you're friends with both her roommates. You can just stop by and say you're looking for one of them."

Marius leaned back. "You don't understand. I've never seen anyone so beautiful."

Courfeyrac shrugged. "That may be an overstatement. I mean, she's hot, but she's no Megan Fox."

"No one's a Megan Fox," Bahorel said.

"She's perfect," he said.

"How do you know?" Feuilly asked. "I thought you didn't get to talk to her."

"No, but I saw her. Her eyes were like windows into her soul."

"Gosh," Jehan murmured. "Is that what I sound like?"

Courfeyrac grabbed Marius's chin and stared him down. "Are you stoned?"

Marius threw his grip away. "No! I'm just-"

"Oh crap," Bahorel said.

"Don't say it," Feuilly begged.

"We didn't have time to bet!" Jehan cried.

"In love," Marius finished resolutely.

"Aw, fuck," Courfeyrac said, hanging up his last sweater.


	4. Chapter 4

Cosette wasn't vain about much, but she was self-aware enough to know that she was beautiful. And she also knew that the boy sitting across the fountain in the park knew it too. He hadn't turned the page in his book for at least an hour. Which, coincidentally, was about how long she and her father had been sitting there, catching up on each others' lives.

"Have you been eating enough?" her father said, looking at her with concern. Cosette chuckled.

"Yes, Papa," she said. "My roommate's actually a really good cook."

"And they're being nice to you?" he asked.

"Very. They're sweet girls," she said. They really were. She had been living with Eponine and Combeferre for two weeks now, and everything was going fine. Sort of.

It wasn't that she didn't like Eponine. She really did. Eponine was funny and witty and smart. But something about her made Cosette nervous. Like there was something niggling at the back of her brain saying _Danger. _Not from Eponine. But from something Eponine reminded her of.

The boy had gotten up from his bench and was heading towards them. With a start, Cosette recognized him. Marius. Eponine's friend. She hadn't seen him since he'd been in her room her first day. He was very handsome, she thought. Her memories were correct. She had not, as she'd been trying to convince herself for the past few weeks, exaggerated his charms. He passed by their bench, nodding politely, and continued on his way.

"Do you know that boy?" her father asked suspiciously.

Cosette shrugged. "Maybe he's one of your students," she offered, hiding her blush of pleasure. Mr Fauchevault seemed appeased by this explanation. He checked his watch.

"And speaking of classes," he said. He stood and helped Cosette up. "I have to run, darling. Will you be okay?"

She nodded. "Yeah, I can just get a ride from the first stranger in a white van I see."

Mr Fauchevault blanched. Cosette laughed. "I'm kidding, Papa. I'll see you later."

He kissed the top of her head. "I love you," she said.

"Love you too," he said, and jogged off. He was in remarkable shape for a man approaching his sixties.

Cosette wandered back towards her dorm. She recognized a brown head of curls. "Eponine?" she called. The girl turned.

"Hi, Cosette," she said, as Cosette jogged up to her.

"Are you heading back to our dorm?" Cosette asked.

"Yeah," she said. "What class are you coming from?"

"Oh, I didn't have a class," Cosette said. "I was meeting my dad."

"That was your dad?" Eponine said, sounding surprised. "I thought he was a professor."

"He's both," Cosette said.

"Wow. You look nothing alike. You must look a lot like your mom."

Cosette chuckled. "I'm actually adopted," she said, heading up the stairs.

"Really?" Eponine said.

"Yeah," Cosette said. "I was living in a really bad foster home, and he came and found me one day. He adopted me. I think he knew my mother, actually. I don't know. He doesn't talk about it much."

Talking with Eponine about this made her nervous again. Eponine didn't seem to notice. "That sucks," she said. "My brother's in a foster home now, actually. My parents are in prison."

"Really?"

"Yeah. They kind of sucked as parents. Not when I was really little though. We had a hotel in Montrefeuil-"

"That's where I grew up!" Cosette cried. Eponine's mouth fell open. Cosette felt uncomfortable. She shouldn't be saying this. Shouldn't be remembering...

"You were in Montrefeuil?" Eponine said.

"In a hotel," Cosette said slowly, not looking at the other girl. Her breathing was growing short. It had been ten years, she thought. The Thenadier is gone.

But Eponine had paled. "Cosette," she said slowly. "Cosette. The little girl who we used to make fun of and tease... _Cosette..._"

Cosette sucked in a frantic breath and turned to go, she didn't know where. She just had to get away, but Eponine had her by the arm. Her hands were rough and strong. That was it, Eponine thought. That was what she hadn't been remembering.

"_It was you_," she said, her eyes filled with wonder. "_You_ were the Lark."


	5. Chapter 5

Marius Pontmercy was singing show tunes. Courfeyrac was officially concerned for the sanity of both his roommates. Particularly Enjolras, who looked as though he was about to jump out the window in front of his desk.

Show tunes were not uncommon in their room, but it was usually Courfeyrac who was belting the Broadway. And it was usually Enjolras who threw a pillow at him. However, Enjolras was being gentlemanly, so it fell to Courfeyrac to stop the heinous butchering of "Tonight" pouring out of Marius's mouth.

"Ow," Marius said indignantly, pushing the pillow off his head.

"What are you doing?" Courfeyrac demanded, staring down at Marius.

"Singing."

"You sound like a dying cat."

"No I do not," Marius said indignantly.

"Why are you singing?" Courfeyrac asked, feeling like he didn't want to know the answer. Marius sat up, a dopey smile spreading across his face.

"I saw her again," he said. Enjolras groaned and dropped his head onto his textbook. Marius and Courfeyrac ignored him.

"Did you talk to her yet?" Courfeyrac said.

"No," Marius said. Courfeyrac threw another pillow at him.

"Stop that," Marius said. Enjolras gave up on his textbook and opened his laptop. He pulled up some extremely boring looking website.

"You are such a wimp!" Courfeyrac yelled. "Just talk to her! Or ask Eponine to talk to her! Man up!"

"You wore pink skinny jeans to class today. I don't think you get to tell me to man up."

"I didn't hear anyone complaining about my jeans."

"That's because you weren't listening."

"That's because I have a fantASStic ass, and stop trying to change the subject."

"I am not! That was an entirely unforced subject-"

Enjolras stood suddenly. His face was stormy. Both boys fell into a slightly terrified silence. "I'll see you two at the Musain in twenty minutes," Enjolras growled.

"What's going on?" Courfeyrac said, looking worried. His hand drifted towards his phone, prepared to call Ferre in a second.

"Our constitution is being murdered, that's what's going on," Enjolras said. "Call the others. I'll see you there." He pulled on his leather jacket and banged out the door.

Marius scrambled up off his bed and looked at Enjolras's laptop, left open on the table. Fey began frantically texting all their friends: _Code RedWhiteBlue. Musain in twenty._

"It's some bill or something," Marius said. He scrolled down. His face became more and more ashen. "Holy shit. Suspension of first amendment rights... suspected terrorist activities... What is this?"

Courfeyrac looked at the door Enjolras had just swung out of. "I have the feeling we are about to find out."


	6. Chapter 6

Eponine had never met anyone who could talk for as long as Enjolras could, or as well. He was eloquent without being wordy. Every syllable rang with passion and power.

"It doesn't say terrorist, it says suspected terrorist. We could be arrested right now if one of us was on the No Fly list."

"So it's basically a war-time suspension like during the Civil War?" Marius said, flipping through the enormous stack of papers Enjolras had banged down on the table.

"Basically. But we aren't fighting a war on our land. And it was wrong then and its wrong now."

Everyone nodded. Eponine noticed that none of their coffees were steaming anymore.

"There's basically only one guy on the senate speaking out about this bill. Senator LaMarque."

"Didn't I vote for him?" Courfeyrac said, pulling the bill towards him.

"I hope so, because he's brilliant. Anyways, we need to throw all our support behind him and his cause," Enjolras said. "Raising money and, most of all, awareness."

They all nodded and began to discuss plans for printing out pamphlets and Fey suggested they put a copy of the bill on the announcements in every dorm.

It was the fifth time this week Eponine had sat in on a meeting of the Amis, and she was getting pretty comfortable there. This was the first time she had seen them fully mobilized though. It was a sight. Enjolras was handing out assignments. Ferre was standing on the table so that she could pass out papers.

Fey sidled up to her. "So," he said, grabbing her coffee and taking a sip. "What'cha think?"

She smiled. "He's something."

"Isn't he? He's always been that way. Since we were in school. All the teachers hated him because he'd highjack their lessons. Always took it off onto a rant about socialism or gay rights."

"Is Enjolras gay? Or does he just have a long distance girlfriend?" Eponine asked. She'd been wondering this for quite some time now, and Fey, who seemed to know more about most people than Facebook, seemed the perfect person to ask.

"Please." Fey said. "Enjolras is a god. Gods don't date people."

She raised her eyebrows and Fey smirked. "I'm kidding," he said. "I'm not Grantaire. I live with him. I can assure you, he is not perfect. He is also not gay, or in a long distance relationship."

"Really?" Eponine said. "But he seems so... gentlemanly."

"It's not that Enjolras is gay. At least, I don't think he's gay." He paused to think. "No. There is no way I would not have already tapped that if he was gay." Eponine smiled at that logic. "He's not gay. He just doesn't realize girls exist. Here, watch this. Enjolras!" he called. The blond boy looked up. "Do you see that over there?" Fey said, gesturing to a pretty girl walking past the cafe. Enjolras nodded, raising his brows suspiciously. "What is that?" Fey asked.

"That's a person, Fey," Enjolras said as if to a very small child.

"What kind of a person?"

"A human person?"

"Yes, but what's on her chest?" Fey continued. Enjolras's eyebrows crinkled in confusion.

"A... shirt?" he said questioningly.

"What's underneath the shirt?" Fey said.

"The person?" Enjolras said, then, seeming tired of Fey's antics, turned back to his laptop. Fey turned back to Eponine.

"See?" he giggled. Eponine smirked back at him. "He's like that all the time. It's not that he won't hook up some girl at a rally occasionally, but it's never him who initiates it. And it's never anything more than that."

Eponine nodded, still chuckling.

"What about you?" Fey said.

"What about me?"

"What's your type?"

Eponine tried to smile mysteriously, but her eyes flicked up to Marius before she could help it. Courfeyrac followed her gaze. "Pontmercy?" he said skeptically.

"Shut up," she muttered.

"Really?" he said. "He's such a dope!"

"He's not a dope," Eponine said.

"You told me he was a dope the first time we met!"

"Okay, yeah, he's a dope, but still."

"What could you possibly see in him? I mean, yeah, he's attractive, but- no, actually, I get it. He's got a really nice ass."

Eponine rolled her eyes. "I don't like him because of his ass, Courfeyrac."

"Then what is it?"

She shrugged. "Marius is just... He's the first nice guy I ever met. He's the one who convinced me to break up with 'Parnasse, got me to quit smoking and... other stuff. He's always looked out for me, you know?" she looked down at her graphettied converse. "There aren't many people who are willing to do that."

Fey nodded. "He's an Ami du L'ABC," he said, pronouncing it so that the ABC became Abaisse. Eponine looked at Fey curiously. "Yes," she said. "I suppose he is." She sighed. "It doesn't matter, anyway," she said. "He doesn't love me."

Fey squeezed her arm sympathetically. She smiled weakly.

"Well," Fey said. "I stand by what I said earlier. Marius Pontmercy is a dope."

Eponine nodded. Her phone rang. She pulled it out to see a familiar number. She made a quick _Be right back _motion at Fey and headed outside.

"Gavroche?" she said once outside. "You okay?"

A moment of silence on the other end of the line, and then a prissy, high-pitched voice crackled in her ear.

"Not exactly, Miss Thenadier." Eponine winced at the use of her real last name. "This is Mrs Gorbeau, your little brother's-"

"Foster mother, yeah," she said. "Is Gavroche okay?"

"Well, I don't know," Mrs Gorbeau said. "He isn't with you?"

"No," Eponine said, a bubble of panic rising in her chest. "Why isn't he with you?"

A haughty sigh emanated from the phone. "He has run off somewhere," Mrs Gorbeau said. "I hoped he'd just gone to visit you."

Eponine felt like screaming. _God damnit, Gav, _she thought. "Keep looking for him," Eponine said. "I'll see if I can find him."

A relieved sounding noise came from the other end. "Good," the woman said. "Call me when you find him." And the phone clicked off.

She darted back into the Musain and grabbed her backpack. "My little brother ran away from his foster home," she explained quickly to the worried eyes of Marius and Fey. "I have to go find him. But I'd love to help with anything. Just- later."

Fey nodded. "Do you want any help?" Marius asked.

Eponine shook her head, but Marius stood anyway.

"You really don't have to-" she began, but he waved her hand away.

"I'm always here to help you," he said. She nodded and he lead her out the door.

"So where do you think he is?" Marius asked once outside.

"There's a park I used to take him to when we were little. He might have gone there."

"Where is it?"

"Not far."

They continued on in silence for a few minutes. "You don't actually seem too frantic," Marius observed. Eponine shrugged.

"He grew up on the streets. I'm not that worried about his survival. I'm more worried about this new foster-home."

"Worried like you think they're abusing him?"

"Worried like I think he's going to get kicked out again."

"Again?"

She sighed. "He's been in three foster homes in the past four months. I don't know how many more he can go through before he manages to skip the system."

"How's Azelma doing?"

"God, I don't even know," Eponine said. "She's still in juivy, if that's what you're asking. They suspended her visiting rights the last time I tried to go see her."

He put his arm around her sympathetically. "And of course all this is twice as ironic, seeing as how I'm now rooming with my old foster-sister," she continued.

"What?" Marius said, stopping in his tracks.

"My other roommate? Cosette Fauchevault?"

"I thought her name was Ursula."

"Ursula? No, she's Cosette. And she was my old foster sister. My parents scammed her mom into sending them childcare money and used her as a servant. She's my roommate."

Marius looked at her, confused. "That sounds... awkward."

"It probably should be. But somehow it kind of isn't."

"Really?"

"Yup. She's really sweet and not at all holding a grudge. We're actually getting along better now. I don't know. It's just kind of karmic."

They had arrived in the park. "He could be anywhere," Eponine said to Marius. He nodded and began to search under the benches.

"So she's a nice girl?" Marius said.

"Very."

"No annoying habits? Not always, you know, bringing guys back to your room?"

"No. That's Ferre."

"Right." He stood, unable to find the boy under the benches. Eponine sighed and looked around. Out of the corner of her eye she saw movement by a large shape. She grabbed Marius and turned him. "What?" he asked, confused. She pointed.

"If you were a seven year old boy, where would you go?"

He smiled. "I'd go hang out in the giant elephant." He started running before Eponine could and she ended up having to sprint to catch him. She arrived at the top of the hill a few moments after Marius and ran around to the underside of the giant Elephant statue.

"Gav?" she called up into the hollow stomach.

"Yeah?" came an echoey voice in reply. Eponine sighed in relief.

"Get down here. It's me. Ponine."

There was a scurrying sound and then a tousled blond head poked out from the underneath.

"Hullo," he said, looking surprised. "What are you doing here?"

"Looking for you, brat," she answered.

"Why?"

"Because you ran away. Mrs Gorbeau called me. She's worried about you."

"I don't like her," the boy said, still upside down. His little face was getting redder and redder. "She smells funny."

"Gav," Eponine began, but the little boy swung to his feet and threw his arms around her waist.

"Can't I just stay with you tonight?"

She smiled down at him and petted his knotty hair. "I'd love that, sweetie, but I have an early morning class tomorrow. I don't know who you'd stay with."

"He can stay with me," Marius said. Eponine looked up in surprise.

"Cool," Gavroche said, heading back towards the elephant. Eponine grabbed his arm.

"Marius, that's sweet," she said. "But I don't want to bother you. Or Enjolras and Fey."

"It'll be fine," Marius said with a wave of his hand. "I'm always willing to help the Thenadiers."

She smiled at that. "I don't want to impose- I mean, he's a seven year old. You really want a seven year old in your dorm?"

Gavroche tugged on her sleeve. "Eponine," he said. "He said he wants me to stay with him. Once you've made the sale, stop selling."

Marius smiled and knelt down to let the little boy climb onto his back. Eponine bit her lip. It would be nice to have Gavroche stay with her on campus for a little while.

"Let me call Madame Gorbeau," she said. "If she says it's okay, you can stay."

She didn't know which boy's smile was more radiant. _Crap, _she thought. _There is no way this is going to end well._


	7. Chapter 7

"See, this is why I didn't want a cat," Enjolras was saying. "Because you get attached to things to easily."

Fey pouted. "But he's wearing a little newspaper boy cap! And a tricolor! And he's so cute!"

"I am not," the little boy said from behind him. Eponine rolled her eyes in the doorway.

"Fey," Enjolras said. Courfeyrac pouted and stepped further in front of Gavroche.

"I'm not tired," the boy said, looking up at the four adults in the room. "I want to go do something."

"We can take him to a bar or something," Fey said. "I bet he's a chick magnet!"

Eponine glared at him. "You are not taking my brother to a bar."

Both boys pouted. Enjolras sighed and took the blankets out of Eponine's arms. He set about making a bed out of pillows in the corner. Eponine stared Fey down.

"Courfeyrac," she said sternly. "I want you to listen to me very closely."

Fey gulped and tried to smile innocently. "Yes?"

"I am leaving you with my little brother. If I come back tomorrow at ten and he has pink hair, I am going to machine wash every last piece of cashmere you own and turn all your whites pink."

Fey let out a terrified little squeak. "And you," she said, turning to Marius. "The second he is out of your sight, you call me. Call me if anything happens. Don't jut try to fix it on your own. And make sure that door is locked."

She looked over at Enjolras. "I'm actually not that worried about you," she concluded. Enjolras nodded sagely.

"He'll be fine," Marius said. "It's just-" He checked his watch. "Ten hours."

She heaved a sigh. "Famous last words," she muttered.

She knelt down next to Gavroche. "These boys are doing both of us a big favor," she said. "Be nice to them. No tricks."

He looked at her solemnly. "Eponine," he said. "You know I can't promise that."

She smiled and ruffled his hair. "I'll come get you as soon as my class is done and we'll get breakfast."

"Can we get ice cream instead?"

"No." She kissed the top of his forehead and smiled up at the other boys. "Thank you," she said. Marius nodded.

"See you tomorrow!" Fey trilled. He backed her out the door and shut it with a bang. He turned back to face the others. "So," he said, clasping his hands. "Now what?"

"Now Gavroche goes to bed," Enjolras said, straightening up.

"No!" both Gavroche and Fey cried. Enjolras rolled his eyes.

"Look," he said. "We promised Eponine Gavroche would be in bed by nine thirty. However," he said, holding up a hand to stop their protestations. "We did not say he would be asleep, so as long as he doesn't leave his bed you two can do what you want."

Fey clapped his hands. "Cool." He turned to Gavroche. "Into bed, youngster!"

The little boy nodded and ran to the bed. "Don't you have to brush your teeth or something?" Marius asked.

"I don't have a toothbrush."

Enjolras held up a still-packaged toothbrush silently. The little boy grabbed it grumpily. "You're good," Fey said.

"You guys have been great training for taking care of children."

Fey chuckled. "Please. If anybody needs looking after in our group it's you."

"You'll notice I am the only one whom Eponine did not feel the need to threaten."

"You're also the only one with a criminal record longer than a page."

"It's not longer- It's not much longer than a page."

Gavroche looked at him curiously. "Are you a murderer?" he asked.

"No," Enjolras said haughtily. "I'm an activist."

"What's that?"

"It's like a superhero," Fey said. "Except he doesn't wear a mask, so the police arrest him a lot."

"Cool," the little boy said, looking up at Enjolras with admiration.

"Come on," Marius said, taking the little boy's hand. "Let's go brush your teeth."

He lead Gavroche out of the room and Enjolras opened his laptop. Fey sighed. "Enjolras," he said. "I'm getting worried about you. You're getting all crusade-y. Last time I saw you like this you almost got kicked out of school."

"I did not get kicked out of school."

"I said almost."

Enjolras sighed and ran his hands through his hair. "I can't help it, Fey. I have to stop this."

Fey sighed. "I know. Just don't work yourself into the ground again, kay?"

He smiled slightly in acknowledgment. Courfeyrac decided that was probably the best he was going to get and flopped over onto Marius's bed.

"What'cha thinking about?" he asked Enjolras, bored.

"The right of the people to rebel."

"God, no wonder you never get laid," Courfeyrac muttered. Marius walked back in with Gavroche and Jehan.

"Fun trip to the bathroom?" Fey asked. The little boy nodded and hopped into the bed. Jehan handed over a sketchbook and colored pencils. "Smart," Fey whispered to Marius.

"It was Feuilly's idea. We saw him in the hallway."

"That makes more sense."

Marius punched him lightly in the arm. "You're lying on my bed. I don't think you get to insult me."

"Have you ever noticed how I don't ever follow your rules about me insulting you?" Fey began to braid Jehan's long hair.

"What'cha doing?" Gavroche asked Enjolras, sitting up to look at his laptop. Enjolras looked over at him.

"I'm writing an article for the paper," he said.

"About what?"

"About a bill that's being passed."

"Like the schoolhouse rock song?"

Enjolras smiled. "Yeah, kind of."

"That's cool," the kid said, going back to coloring. "So you're like a Clark Kent kind of superhero?"

"Who?"

"Clark Kent. Superman?"

"Sorry," Enjolras said. "The only superheroes I knew growing up were Robespierre and Martin Luther King."

"And doesn't that explain a lot," Fey whispered to Jehan, who giggled slightly.

"Those aren't superheroes," Gavroche said indignantly.

"They did more to change the world than Superman."

Jehan leaned back against Fey's leg. His eyes drifted closed. "Are you alright?" Fey asked him.

"Yeah," he said, sitting up sleepily. "I'm fine. Just... tired."

"You should go to bed."

The poet looked up at him. "Can't I stay here just a little while longer?"

"Of course. I'm just worried about you."

"That's sweet," the other boy said, drifting off against Courfeyrac's leg once more. "But I'm fine, I promise."

Fey smiled and pushed a lock of hair out of Jehan's face. Marius sat down opposite them.

"I really want to film those two, but I'm scared they'll stop if I do," he said quietly, nodding at Enjolras and Gavroche. "It's hilarious."

Fey chuckled. "So not that I'm complaining, but how come Eponine trusts you with her baby brother?"

Marius shrugged. "I've helped them out a lot in the past. I kind of owe them, actually."

"How?"

"It's a long story."

Fey gestured at Jehan, asleep on his lap. "I don't think I'll be moving anytime soon."

Marius nodded thoughtfully. "Well, you know how my dad was a soldier in the Vietnam war?"

"Yeah, and then you found out he died and your grandpa disowned you because you actually formed political opinions."

"To put it in a nutshell. But anyways, my dad, in the war, he was saved by this one guy, Thenadier. And he could never find him afterward. So in his will, he told me to try and find him, so that I could try and repay that debt."

"Wow," Fey said. "That's so melodramatic."

"Kind of. But here's the really weird part. After I got disowned, I moved in next to the Thenadiers. And I didn't even know it. Until they tried to rob me. And Eponine saved me by calling the police. Which was really hard for her to do. They arrested pretty much her whole family and sent Gav into foster care, and we went to college. She's here on a scholarship, actually."

"That's totally not true."

"What? She's really smart."

"No, not the scholarship. The part where you moved in across from them."

"It's true."

"Then how come I didn't hear about this before?"

"We didn't see each other much over the summer."

"So you're basically the Thenadiers' mysterious benefactor?"

Marius grimaced. "Some benefactor. I got them arrested. I'm just trying to look out for Gavroche and Eponine now. Paying back my father's debt."

"Someone should write a book with that plot."

"Mm. Especially since now apparently Eponine's roommate is her old foster sister."

"What?"

"I don't know," Marius said tiredly. "My life is full of strange coincidences."

The room fell silent. Marius and Courfeyrac looked over to see Gavroche fast asleep and Enjolras typing furiously again. Marius stretched.

"Don't wake Jehan," he said. "I'll take your bed."

Fey nodded. "See you tomorrow."

"Night," he said, climbing the ladder to the top bunk. Enjolras waved a hand in distracted acknowledgment. Fey lay back, shifting Jehan slightly.

When Eponine knocked softly on the door the next morning they were all still asleep that way, Enjolras bent over the desk, Fey's hand still tangled in Jehan's hair, Marius's feet dangling off the edge of Courfeyrac's bed. Gavroche lay nestled in a pile of pillows and blankets, pieces of paper with drawings of superheroes holding picket signs scattered around him. She smiled and shut the door. Breakfast could wait, she decided. Breakfast could definitely wait.


	8. Chapter 8

"Did you read this one yet?" Combeferre said, pulling the book of the shelf and handing it up to Enjolras. He looked at the cover.

"Yeah. Freshman year."

"Well, you still need it, so add it to the basket."

Enjolras sighed and tossed the book into his basket.

"Our shopping list must look so weird," she murmured.

"That's what happens when you volunteer to do everyone else's shopping for them." Enjolras said, scanning the top shelf. He pulled down another book and threw it next to the other one. "I mean, we're buying books for two pre-laws, a theater major, an art major, a music major, a pre-med, a business major, two political sciences and a psych minor and one slacker drunkard."

"Be nice," Ferre said, kicking his leg from where she was crouched on the floor, searching for another calculus textbook. She placed it in the basket and looked up at Enjolras.

"You're actually going to go to class now, aren't you?" she said. "Because we are not spending money on those books unless you are actually going to use them."

"Why not? I've got plenty of money," he said, slightly bitterly. "And my system worked all the way through high school. I see no reason to change it now."

Ferre sighed. "You had to hire a lawyer so that they would let you graduate."

"That was less for the not showing up to class than for the almost-expulsion." His phone went off. He pulled it out and began to read whatever message he had received. "Fey and Jehan want to meet us in an hour. They're almost done with class."

Ferre nodded absently. "Tell them to head to my dorm. I think we've got everything." She stood. Enjolras grabbed the basket and they went to the check out line.

"Seriously, though," she said. "Go to class. It actually costs money this time."

"And again I say: I have plenty of money."

"I bet that's what Marius thought."

Enjolras raised his brows. "Ouch."

Ferre made a slightly apologetic face but continued on. "You are the smartest person I know. And I'm the smartest person everyone knows, so you have to believe me on that. And smart people should go to school."

He sighed in a put upon manner. "I always go for the first two weeks, Ferre. Beyond that, who knows."

She sighed. He grabbed the book from under her arm and threw it into the basket. They arrived at the cash register.

"I've been thinking that we should go protest the Anti Terrorist act outside the quad tomorrow," he said, handing the basket to the girl sitting behind the desk. She seemed blinded by Enjolras. Ferre smiled sympathetically at her.

"When you say protest, what does that involve?"

"Pamphlets, maybe a sign or two."

"Tomorrow?"

"Yeah."

She slipped her arm into his. "Sure."

He nodded, grabbing the huge bag of textbooks the dazzled cashier had finished ringing up. They headed out into the sunshine.

"So how are you adjusting?" Enjolras asked. Ferre smiled. Everyone had been complaining to her that Enjolras was being completely overprotective of them all, insisting that everyone have a key to the room he, Marius, and Fey shared. "He's becoming you!" Feuilly had moaned. But the complaints were all light-hearted. Everyone, even Bahorel, liked to know that Enjolras was looking out for them.

"I'm good. Cosette and Eponine are getting along really well now too. It's weird. They were kind of awkward around each other for a while, but about two weeks ago they suddenly became best friends. Apparently they're some sort of long lost cousins or something? They start giggling about How about you?"

"I'm fine. I'm worried about Jehan, though. Have you noticed how tired he looks lately?"

"Wow," she said. "It must be bad if you noticed." It was a standard joke among the Amis that Enjolras, though brilliant, had no clue about anything to do with most people's emotions. "I'll offer to let him stay here tonight. Something's up with him. Maybe he has writer's block."

"God, I hope not," Enjorlas said, paling slightly at the memory of the last time Jehan hadn't written anything in a while.

They walked up the marble staircase to Ferre's dorm. The door was unlocked, and they slipped in to find it deserted. Enjolras climbed up onto Ferre's bed and pulled out one of his new textbooks. His head grazed the ceiling of the room. Ferre looked around.

"Fey and Jehan should be here soon. I'm going to take a quick shower," she said.

"Kay," he said absently, already completely absorbed by the book. She crossed into the bathroom and he heard the shower start.

The knob turned slowly and Eponine walked in. She looked up at Enjolras in surprise.

"Hi," she said.

"Hello," he said. "Ferre's in the shower. I hope you don't mind, but Fey and Jehan are on their way. How's your brother?"

"He's good," she said, unwrapping her scarf and draping it over the back of her chair. "He agreed to stay at the foster home if I come take him out to lunch every few days. He really liked you guys." She threw her book bag onto the chair as well. It fell open slightly and Enjolras could see the top of a worn looking textbook.

"You're taking psych?" he said, looking down at her. She looked over at the bag.

"Yeah," she said. "It's cool."

"Is that what you're majoring in?"

She shrugged. "Maybe," she said. When he seemed to want more of a response, she elaborated. "I want to be a social worker someday, actually."

"Really?" Enjolras said, sitting up slightly. Eponine felt slightly disconcerted.

"Yeah," she said. "My childhood... it kind of sucked, so... I want to make other kid's lives better, I guess."

Ferre came out wrapped up in a ratty bathrobe. "Hey, Ponine," she said, smiling.

"Hey, Ferre," she smiled back. "I hear Fey and Jehan are coming over?"

"Yeah," Ferre said. "Jehan might stay with us tonight, is that okay?"

"It's fine by me. You'll have to run it by Cosette." Eponine smiled at the thought of Jehan staying with them. She liked the quiet poet boy. He was sweet, the kind of person she'd never know growing up on the streets.

"I'm sure Cosette will be fine," Ferre said, waving a hand regally. She turned up to Enjolras. "Close your eyes," she ordered, and when he obeyed she wandered over to the closet and pulled out a pair of grey yoga pants and a tee-shirt. "How was class today, Eponine?" she asked.

"Good," Eponine said, smiling slightly at the motherly tone in Combeferre's voice. She completely understood why all the boys called her Mom.

Enjolras's phone beeped and he pulled it out. He opened whatever it was quickly and eagerly.

"It's LaMarque's campaign," he said to Ferre excitedly. "He's giving a public address in two weeks. He says that as long as he's around, the bill is never going to pass."

Ferre beamed up at him. "That's great," she said. "You can finally get some sleep."

"Are you kidding me?" Enjolras said. "We need to work twice as hard now." He began frantically typing something. Eponine looked at Ferre, who rolled her eyes.

"The pains of being a revolutionary," she muttered as she began to brush her hair out. "It's a lonely, sad life we lead."

"I gotta go," Enjolras said, hopping down off the bed. He made it halfway out the door before Ferre coughed and he remembered his normally impeccable manners.

"Goodbye, Eponine, it was very nice to see you again. Ferre, I'll see you in a bit." He made a funny sort of half bow in their general direction and was gone just as Fey entered, with Jehan right behind him. Fey nodded cheerfully at the two girls and Jehan kissed both on the cheeks and laid down on Eponine's bed. Ferre sat down at the mirror and sighed.

"Oh, hey, I forgot to tell you," she said to Eponine, pulling her hair into her typical fly-away bun. "My mom is having a cocktail party next week and she wants to meet you and Cosette."

"That sounds nice," Eponine said.

"It won't be," Ferre said. Fey chuckled.

"Ferre's mother-"

"Is the devil," Ferre interjected.

"Is a lovely but misguided woman-"

"She's a total ditz."

"When it comes to Ferre's choices of careers, friends, or sexuality."

"She refuses to accept I'm a lesbian," Ferre concluded.

Jehan sat up on his elbows. "The parties are fun. We all try to get kicked out first."

"Grantaire always wins," Ferre said, cuddling up next to Jehan. "But Bahorel was a close second last year."

"I still think I should get a bonus point thingy," Fey said.

"You broke up my cousin's engagement!"

"Hey, I think I did that girl a favor."

"You made out with her fiance!"

"Seriously, what kind of a relationship could they have had together? He was gay, for pete's sake."

"Nobody knew that yet!"

"Trust me," Fey said, leaning back proudly. "He did."

"What did Bahorel do?"

"He got in a fight with my third cousin."

"I liked Feuilly's," Jehan piped up. "He offered to do nude portraits of the Combeferres."

"I think he got thrown out because he said he'd already done Ferre."

"Please," Ferre said. "If my mother actually thought he'd seen me naked she probably would have kissed him."

Eponine smiled at this. The room quieted. Fey pulled out his phone and smirked.

"Joly thinks he has hypothermia because Bosseut broke the heater," he said to Ferre. She smiled. Jehan was already asleep next to her. The phone buzzed again. "Apparently hypothermia prevents one from studying for really important tests. I'm going to tell him he can use our room."

"You really want to leave Joly and Bosseut alone in your bedroom?"

Fey considered this for a moment, then typed something. "You can use our room, but NO SEX ON MY BED. Use Marius's," he read.

"Fey," Ferre said sternly. He winked over at her.

"No sex on any bed," he amended. Then: "Or on the floor."

He hit send and looked satisfied with himself. Ferre chuckled, gently stroking Jehan's hair.

Eponine's phone went off and she answered it, reaching under the bed to steal some candy from Cosette's care package. It was a text from Marius.

_Hey, you know your roommate?_

She sighed. _Yes, M, I live with her._

_What's her story?_ He sent back a few seconds later.

She hesitated. Was he asking what she thought he was? _What do you mean? s_he sent.

_Does she have a boyfriend?_

_Why are you asking me? Can't you just stalk her on facebook like a normal person?_

_Eponine!_

She bit her lip. _If she didn't, what would that mean?_

No reply. She stared at the phone, willing it to ring.

_Marius?_

_I'm here. Just tell me if she has a boyfriend or not._

Slowly, she punched the keys on her phone. _I don't think so._

_Can you find out for sure?_

She paused. _Not until you tell me why. _

She could almost hear his sigh through the text. _Because I like her. And I'd like to get to know her better. Can you help me?_

Eponine stared at the screen, her eyes drawn again and again to the first four words. She finally made it past them to the end of the text. _What will you give me? _she replied.

The answer was instantaneous. _Anything._

_Anything?_

_Anything. _

Eponine stared. She sent off a quick reply and got up from her bed, shoving her phone into her back pocket. "I'm going for a walk," she said, grabbing some shoes. Ferre looked up.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah," Eponine said. "I just want some air."

Halfway across campus, Marius's phone rang.

_I'll do it. _


	9. Chapter 9

It was actually somewhat quiet at the Musain for once. That should have been enough to trigger Ferre's danger senses, but Enjolras was here beside her, which meant that he couldn't be getting arrested, and Bahorel was on her other side icing a black eye, which meant that he wasn't getting into a fight elsewhere, and Grantaire was sleeping off a hangover across the table from her, which meant that he wasn't passed out in some alley somewhere. Joly and Bosseut were there too, wiping up the coffee Bosseut had just spilled. With all the usual suspects for trouble safe and sound around her, Ferre actual allowed herself to be lulled into a peaceful, tea-filled haze.

And then she heard Courfeyrac.

"Stop avoiding me!"

"I'm not! Can we just please drop it?" Jehan cried, entering beside him.

"No! How long has this been going on?"

"It's fine, Fey."

"It is not fine! Answer my question, damnit!"

Everyone looked up. Even Grantaire was roused. Fey was always dramatic, but rarely intense. And he and Jehan never argued.

"Please," Jehan said, looking like he might cry. "Don't do this."

"What's going on?" Enjolras said, using his leader voice. Fey turned to face him, his face livid.

"I found Jehan sleeping in the park this morning. With a bag full of toiletries. And he won't tell me why."

"What?" Ferre said. "Jehan, what's going on?"

The poet shook his shaggy head. "I'm fine, you guys. I promise."

"Is that why you've been so tired lately?" Enjolras asked. "Because you've been sleeping outside?"

Jehan shook his head. "Not really," he said.

"Is this one of those transcendentalist things?" Bahorel asked.

"No," Fey said. "Not even Jehan is that crazy. Something's wrong. Why are you living like a homeless person?"

"Is something going on with your roommate?" Ferre asked.

"No," he said, tears is his eyes. "Guys, I can handle this. Please."

Courfeyrac crossed his arms over his chest. "Jehan!"

"Guys! I can handle this!"

"By sleeping outside? For how long?"

"I don't need your help, Courfeyrac!"

Fey stepped back, hurt. "Fine," he said. Jehan turned to go, but Fey stepped back out in front of him. "Except I lied just then, because this is not fine."

Jehan huffed and turned to Ferre pleadingly. Ferre shook her head sympathetically. "Jehan," she said gently. "What is going on?"

It took three cups of tea and Courfeyrac guarding the door to coax the story out of Jehan, and it took Feuilly's arrival to keep the rest of the boys from storming out of the coffee shop with loaded pistols. Finally, Ferre stood up.

"Let's go," she said, and none of them argued. Not even Jehan.

They arrived at the door to Jehan's room. Crappy heavy metal music was blaring out from behind the door. Bahorel pounded on it for a good thirty seconds before the door opened and a tall, handsome young man opened the door. He looked around at the circus show assembled before him, from six foot six Bahorel to Joly, still dressed in his hospital gear, to Enjolras, handsome and furious, to Grantaire, with shadows under his eyes and the beginnings of a beard, and in front of them all the tiny Combeferre, glaring up at him from behind her thick glasses.

"Can I help you?" he asked, looking haughty.

"I think so," Enjolras said. No one could look haughtier than Enjolras. "This is supposed to be our friend Jehan's room, and we would like to inquire why he no longer has a key."

"Who are you?" the boy asked. Enjolras smiled, all teeth and not very nicely.

"We're his friends."

The boy smirked. "I'll bet. My question is, why should I care?"

"Let's just say you don't want to fuck with us," Bahorel snarled.

The boy stared around at them. There was something about him that reminded Ferre of Enjolras at his worst. But there was something rotten about this boy, something that wasn't there with Enjolras. He stood like someone who had always had his way, not through merit, but through money. The boy sized up Enjolras, then turned and smirked at Jehan.

"Because I don't room with faggots," the boy said, looking directly at Jehan.

Several things happened at once. Enjolras and Bahorel both went directly for the boy's throat. Feuilly and Grantaire threw themselves in front of them. Joly grabbed Bosseut's arm. Fey stepped protectively in front of Jehan. None of the boys, however, thought to restrain Ferre.

_Smack! _The sound echoed through the hallway. The boy pulled away, his mouth suddenly crimson. "What the hell?" he cried. She followed with a quick jerk up of her knee and the boy crumpled in pain, his voice rising several octaves. She stood over him.

"Move," she said. "My friend needs to get his stuff."

"Bitch," the boy spit out. She smirked down at him.

"Watch your mouth," she warned. "Or Grantaire and Feuilly might just let Bahorel and Enjolras go." The boy whimpered slightly and rolled out of the way. Everyone simply stared at Ferre.

"Go get his stuff," she snapped at them. Joly and Fey scampered into the room. Ferre noticed that Fey took care to tread on the boy's fingers.

"Ferre," Enjolras murmured. She felt his hand gently touching her shoulder. "Back up."

She did, her eyes not leaving the boy's crumpled figure. Fey and Joly returned, carrying armfuls of stuff. They began to leave. The boy pulled himself up from behind them.

"Yeah," he croaked. "Go. Get your fag stuff out of here, you-"

But before he could say anything else Jehan had rolled his eyes, dropped his stuff, and grabbed Fey around the waist. He kissed him passionately for a few seconds, broke away, and bowed.

"Fuck you very much," he said, sweeping down the hall.

Nobody else had anything to add.


	10. Chapter 10

"I'm bored," Eponine said, rolling over on her bed.

Cosette raised her eyebrows. "You want to go do something?"

"No," Eponine said, sitting up. "I want to wallow in my ennui."

"Okay," Cosette said, pulling apart a twizzler.

"Is that your dinner?" Eponine asked.

Cosette shrugged. "I'll probably go out for something later."

"It's already seven o'clock."

"Oops."

Eponine flopped over onto Cosette's bunk. "So Jehan is moving in with Bahorel and Feuilly," she said, staring at the ceiling.

"That's good," Cosette said. "I still can't believe any of that happened. Has Fey asked him out yet?"

"Nope. He's a coward." _And he's not the only one,_ Eponine thought.

"Did you know Bahorel is dating that girl in our calculus class?" Cosette said, pulling out a bottle of nail polish.

"The blonde cheerleader? Why am I not surprised?"

Cosette giggled. "Well, according to Fey it won't last long."

"Well, if Fey said it it must be true. He knows everything."

"He kind of does," Cosette said thoughtfully, recapping the bottle.

"What about you?" Eponine said casually as she began to braid Cosette's long hair. "There's nobody you're... interested in?"

Cosette smiled. "You sound like Fey."

Eponine shrugged. "Apparently, his techniques work."

Cosette shifted slightly. "Not really. You?"

"Me?" she said, thrown off guard. "Nah. I'm too freaked out by my ex."

"Really?" Cosette said, her voice sounding slightly breathless. "I thought you and- that freckled boy were-"

"No," Eponine interrupted. "No. We're just friends." The words left a bitter taste in her mouth.

"Oh," Cosette said, definitely breathless now.

"Nope," Eponine said. "Marius is definitely single. But not like Fey. He's looking for more than just a one night stand." Cosette didn't say anything. "He's a really good guy," she tried. Still no response. "And he doesn't smoke or anything." Cosette remained impassive. Eponine sighed and dropped her hair.

"If I told you he liked puppies and long walks on the beach, would that be coming on too strong?"

"What?" Cosette said, her big blue eyes blinking in confusion.

"Cosette!" Eponine growled in exasperation. "Do you like Marius?"

"Wha- Why do you ask?"

"Because I'm a terrible wingman," she sighed.

"You're wingmanning for Marius?"

"Definitely not no," Eponine said, shrinking back into the wall.

"Marius likes me?"

"I refuse to answer that until you tell me if you like him."

"Well, I won't tell you until you tell me!"

Eponine smacked her with a pillow. "Answer the damn question!"

"Ow," Cosette said, smacking her right back.

"Tell me."

"You first."

"You got adopted while I had to spend eighteen years in the slums. You first."

Cosette stopped. "That's just playing dirty."

Eponine waggled her eyebrows. "Only way I play."

Cosette sighed and bit her lip. "Tell me," Eponine said, poking her in the stomach. "Tell me. Tell me. Tell-" She began to tickle the other girl, who shrieked, nearly falling off the bed.

"Alright!" Cosette screamed. "Yes! I like him!"

Eponine's triumphant _Ha! _died in her throat. She forced a smile onto her face. "I knew it," she said, hearing the taughtness in her own voice as she sat up. Cosette leaned up against the wall.

"Now you go," she said, sounding nervous. "Does he like me?"

Eponine swallowed hard and nodded. Cosette beamed. _She's beautiful, _Eponine thought. _She's beautiful and smart and she deserves this. She really does. _

"So what now?" Cosette asked.

Eponine sighed. "I don't know."


	11. Chapter 11

It was dark when Eponine finally got out of Civics class. Dark and starting to be stormy. She pulled her ragged coat up around her ears and shivered as she started across the quad. Her dorm was all the way across campus. She had a long walk.

She didn't like dark, stormy nights, especially not when she was alone. She started having flashbacks to the time before Marius, before college. To the time when she was just another criminal. To when her father would have one too many beers, or one too few. To when-

_No,_ she thought. _He's gone. He's in jail, where he belongs. Don't think about him. Don't think about any of it. _

God, it was cold! She made it across the quad and into the streets when something, she wasn't sure what, triggered her danger sense. She paused but did not stop completely and heard footsteps on the stones behind her. Eponine sucked in an anxious breath and felt in her handbag for a textbook or something she could conceivably use as a weapon. She pulled out a particularly heavy volume and continued at a brisk pace. From behind her she heard a low whistle. She froze, her nostrils suddenly full of the smell of ash and roses. She knew that smell. She had come home covered in it enough to recognize it here. _Montparnasse._

She felt like screaming. Montparnasse. She forced her feet to restart, forced herself to think calmly. She was still three blocks from her dorm, but Marius's was just a few feet away. She headed towards it, each step coming faster than the one before it, her heart pounding in her chest.

She hadn't seen Montparnasse since her parents' arrest, since she spit in his face and told him she wanted nothing more to do with him. How could she be so stupid as to forget him? How could she let herself believe he'd just let that go?

She reached the door to the dorms and threw it open frantically. She ran up the stairs, her bag banging against her leg. Third floor, room B89. She banged on the door.

The blond boy, Enjolras, opened it. He blinked down at her in surprise. "Eponine?" he said.

"Hi," she panted. "Is Marius here?"

"No," he said.

"Is Fey?"

He shook his head.

"Um," she said. "Can I come in?"

He nodded, looking worried. She pushed past him and slammed the door. She ran over to the window and looked down. Montparnasse stared up at her from the window. She stifled a shriek and threw herself back into the middle of the room. Enjolras stared.

"Eponine?" he said. "Are you alright?"

She shook her head, trying to hold back tears. He put his hands on her shoulders and bent to look her in the eyes. "What happened?" he said gently. She couldn't speak. There was a soft knock on the door. Before Eponine could say anything, Enjolras had opened the door.

Montparnasse stood casually, leaning against the frame. His black hair was short and spiky. He had spikes on his boots, real stolid iron that could cut through a wall or a bone. A cigarette butt dangled from his lips, curled back in a sneer. Enjolras looked him up and down.

"Can I help you?"

Montparnasse shrugged. "I'm actually here for the Missus," he said, his voice smooth and even, with a slightly affected lilt.

Enjolras looked between Eponine and Montparnasse, then quietly shifted his weight so that he was between the two of them.

"Eponine?" he said. "Do you know this man?"

She nodded. Enjolras looked back over at Montparnasse. "Do you want him here?"

She shook her head, almost imperceptibly. Enjolras tilted his as he stared Montparnasse down. "I think you should leave," he said calmly.

Montparnasse shifted against the doorframe so he had a better view of her. "C'mon, Ponine," he purred. "Don't be that way."

She didn't move. Montparnasse straightened up. He was almost as tall as Enjolras, but not quite.

"Baby," he cooed. "It's me. Ditch the blond and lets go have some fun, just like we used to."

"Fun?" she managed to crack out. The dark boy in the doorway nodded. Enjolras watched her warily. "I don't want to have _fun_ with you."

That was all that Enjolras needed to hear, apparently, because he was suddenly inches away from Montparnasse, his face full of cold, calculating wrath.

"Leave," he hissed. Montparnasse smiled up at him.

"Think you can take me, blondie?" he asked, his hand darting back towards his pocket.

"I think I can," came a deep voice from behind them. Enjolras looked up, and suddenly he was the one smiling at Montparnasse, who was backing up slightly at the sight of Bahorel, on his way back from the bathroom. All three hundred pounds of muscle rippled on his chest. Montparnasse was stupid, but not that stupid, she thought with a bitter sense of triumph.

Montparnasse pulled his empty hand up slowly and backed up down the hall. "I'll see you soon, Ponine," he called as he pulled open the door behind him and backed quickly down the stairs.

"What happened?" Bahorel said, looking surprised to see Eponine standing in the middle of Enjolras's room.

"That man threatened Eponine," Enjolras said steadily. "Can you stay here while I go inform the desk and call the police?"

"No!" Eponine cried, her voice harsh with unshed tears. "No police."

Enjolras looked startled. "Why not?"

Eponine bit her lip. "It's just... you don't call the police." She couldn't explain it, not to this handsome rich boy who'd never spent longer in the hood than the time it took to drive through it. She couldn't explain how you didn't call the police, not when you had just as many reasons to be arrested as he did.

But Enjolras bent down to look at her again. "Eponine," he said firmly. "This guy is obviously a creep if he's got you this upset. Now, if you really don't want me to call the police, I won't, but I'll go down there with Bahorel and beat the crap out of him so he never comes near you again. But I'd rather let the police handle it so he never goes near any girl again."

She felt a rush of tears flooding her eyes. _It's alright,_ she reminded herself, _you're out. You don't have to be afraid of the police. _She couldn't make herself believe it. "Why are you helping me?" she whispered softly. She couldn't help it. She felt twelve years old again, unable to trust anyone knowing that Montparnasse was right down the stairs. Enjolras actually looked surprised at this question.

"Because," he said. "You're one of us. We protect our own."

"Damn straight," Bahorel growled. "I'll go make sure he didn't get lost on the way out. You call from up here."

He walked out. Enjolras looked at Eponine, checking to make sure she was alright with him calling. She nodded. He dialed.

"Hello?" he said into the phone. "I'm at the West end dorm over here. We have a man downstairs who has threatened one of our residents... Yes..."

"Montparnasse," Eponine whispered. Enjolras looked at her curiously. "That's his name," she said, the words rasping in her throat.

"Name of Montparnasse..." Enjolras said. His face changed slightly as he listened to the dispatcher. "He's right outside. Thank you, sir," he said.

He hung up. "Prompt service," he muttered, then reached out to catch Eponine, who was swaying dangerously.

"I'm sorry," she said. "It's just..."

"It's alright," he said, his blue eyes searching hers worriedly. He sat her down on the bed.

"I'm not usually... I'm street-smart," she said. "But he's..."

"It's okay," he said, sitting down next to her. "Do you want me to get Jehan or someone?"

She grabbed his wrist. "No," she said. "Don't leave."

He nodded. "Don't worry," he said. "They'll be here soon."

He was right. They only sat there for a few seconds before they heard the sound of a siren. Through the window they saw Bahorel pulling Montparnasse's hunched figure out to the police, and they watched as he was handcuffed and wrangled into the car. Eponine shuddered. She looked up to see Enjolras on the phone. He held up his hand to keep her from speaking.

"Ferre?" he said. "Listen, Eponine's here. There was a... something. She's kinda shaken up. Can you- Thanks," he said, hanging up the phone. "She's on her way."

Eponine burst into tears. Enjolras, who just a few seconds ago had seemed so calm and collected, seemed completely unsure what to do with this sobbing girl. Fortunately, Jehan chose that exact moment to poke his head in, curious about the sirens (probably worried they were for Enjolras), and instantly pulled Eponine into a hug as Enjolras explained in hushed tones what had happened. By the time Ferre arrived, Eponine was calm enough to explain it herself, how Montparnasse had been a member of her father's gang, how he had been practically an assassin, how they'd hooked up for over three years. Bahorel returned and said that the police had told him that Montparnasse was wanted for murder and probably wouldn't be getting out any time soon.

Eponine nodded shakily, cradled in between Jehan and Ferre. She fell asleep that way a little while later, and Enjolras carried her the three blocks with Ferre, saying that he didn't want Ferre walking alone and he didn't want to wake Eponine yet. Not when she finally looked peaceful.


	12. Chapter 12

"Would you please stop just staring at your phone?" Enjolras said. "Its right next to me and the force of your gaze is distracting."

Fey sighed. "It hasn't-"

"Gone off? No. I'm sure you'll be the first to know when it does," he said, throwing the phone at Fey. "Are you waiting for a callback or something?"

"Sort of," Fey said. "I've been texting Jehan nonstop for the past two days and he won't answer me. And I can't find him anywhere."

"Why is it so important you talk to Jehan?"

Fey sat up and stared. "Did you miss the whole part where he kissed me the other day?"

Enjolras sighed and turned back to his laptop. Fey's phone buzzed and he squealed. "Oh," he said disappointed. "It's from Eponine."

"Is she alright?"

"I think so."

"Then keep it down. I'm trying to work."

Fey made a face and flipped off Enjolras's back. He opened the message. _Hey, _it said. _I need your help getting Marius and Cosette together._

Fey looked down at his phone in mild surprise. _Really? But I thought you..._

_Yeah. No._

_Really?_

_Fey. Are you going to help me or not?_

_Sure, I guess. What do I have to do?_

_Well. He likes her and she likes him theyre just to cowardly to do anything._

Fey was about to reply when Marius himself walked through the door. Fey had been living with him long enough to figure out pretty quickly what his roommate was feeling.

"Eponine called me," Marius said, his face alight. "She talked to Cosette. My feelings are reciprocated."

Fey looked at him. "God," he said. "I've only been saying that for what, two weeks now? How is that I am rooming with you two dunces?"

"You're the dunce," Marius said. "Talked to Jehan yet?"

"Shut up," he muttered. "So what now?"

"I don't know!" Marius wailed, sounding positively Courfeyrac-like. "I'm no good with girls, Fey."

"Eponine says she likes you. Combeferre says she likes you. _I_ say she likes you. What more do you need? Just ask her out."

Marius didn't say anything. Fey rolled over.

"So speaking of everyone's favorite poet," he said, trying to sound casual."Have you seen him lately?"

"Nope," Marius said. "I've been swamped. Are you sure I should ask her out? Maybe Ponine's wrong."

"She's not. Is Jehan avoiding me?"

"I don't think so. Should he be?"

"Maybe. He kissed me."

"So?"

"So maybe it was just to prove a point and it doesn't mean anything."

"And? Do you really think she likes me?"

"Yes, you dumbass. And if it didn't mean anything, he's probably avoiding me because he thinks I think it meant something. Or something."

"I'll invite her to a meeting," Marius said determinedly.

"I just wish he would return my calls. So I could tell him that I get it. You know?" Fey said, staring up at the ceiling.

Marius looked suddenly worried. "But I don't want her to fall in love with one of-"

"Oh my god," Enjolras thundered suddenly. Courfeyrac and Marius turned, a little surprised that their roommate was still there. He pushed himself out of his chair and stormed into the middle of the room. "Marius, just ask the girl out already. It's been two months and she obviously likes you. Courfeyrac, you and Jehan are practically perfect together and you've been flirting and cooing at each other for years. The kiss meant something. Track him down. Now."

Enjolras paused to take a deep breath. Marius and Courfeyrac were staring at him as though he had suddenly sprouted a second head that was now declaiming in latin.

"God," he huffed. "And you say I'm oblivious."

He banged out the door, presumably to seek some quiet in Feuilly and Bahorel's room. Marius and Courfeyrac stared at each other for a few moments.

"Did we just get relationship advice from _Enjolras_?" Fey asked into the stunned silence.


	13. Chapter 13

"No, you keep switching the wording. Try it again."

Courfeyrac flopped as best he could, his movements somewhat hindered by his seatbelt. "I don't wanna," he moaned.

Combeferre rolled her eyes. "Don't be a bitch," she said.

"I'm not," he whined. "I just don't wanna." Combeferre sighed and tossed the script aside. Courfeyrac sat up, suddenly cheerful.

"Yay," he said. "Gossip time." He leaned forward into the front seat. Feuilly looked down at him and then back at the road. "Marius and Enjolras are being really annoying. So I have made it my personal mission to get them both laid."

"Good luck with that," Ferre said, pulling out a sheaf of papers and a highlighter.

"I'm glad you're on board," he continued blithely. "Now. Marius Eponine and I have already taken care of."

"How?" she said absently, paying little attention to his idle chatter. It was old hat. Fey was always trying some scheme or another. She had to help Enjolras with his latest crusade.

"We're getting him to dance with Cosette tonight. Jeesh. Some host you are."

"I'm not a host. And just a dance?"

"A romantic dance. Trust me. We've got it all planned out. But Enjolras is going to take some work. I suggested Grantaire, but then I was 'accidentally' locked out for an hour while he was 'listening to music'."

"You're not going to get Enjolras laid. If my mother failed, so will you."

"Come on," he said. "It's not like he's asexual. He's just oblivious."

"Exactly," Combeferre said. "He's never going to notice any girl. Not with this Anti-Terrorist act still going on. You could literally take the hottest girl you know, stick her in his bed naked, and he'd walk in and ask her for a donation to LaMarque's campaign."

"True," Fey murmured. "The trick is going to be distracting him."

"Let's just be happy he's coming tonight," she said.

"Please. He'd never abandon us to face one of these alone."

"Where do I turn again?" Feuilly asked.

"On the left, and don't change the subject," Fey said. "With anyone else I would say copious amounts of alcohol, but-"

"Where on the left?" Feuilly said.

"Almsfield Road," Ferre said, looking up. "Just past this bend."

"Hello?" Courfeyrac pouted. "Pay attention to me."

"If you wanted attention you should have taken the other car," Ferre said, peering ahead. "Just here, Feuilly."

Feuilly turned the car down the long winding road.

Ferre turned to look at Courfeyrac. "What's up? You're being even weirder than usual."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Fey said.

"Really?" Ferre said, returning to her papers. "All this attention suddenly being thrown on Marius and Enjolras has nothing to do with, I don't know, a certain poet who just moved in next door?"

"Nothing," Fey said steadily, raising his eyebrows. "And I resent any such insinuations."

"A poet who happens to be in the other car which you did not take despite the fact that Feuilly and I are apparently 'the most boring rebels in the universe'?"

"Nope. Nothing to do with said poet. And you two aren't boring-" he giggled, then began laughing outright. "Sorry," he said, wiping away a tear. "I couldn't make it through that with a straight face."

Feuilly let out a low whistle. "I always forget how big it is," he said.

"Have you seen Enjolras's lately? They knocked down the west wing and added another east wing."

Feuilly shrugged as they pulled up in front of the Combeferre Mansion. A tiny woman in five inch heels stood out front. Combeferre sank lower in her seat.

"Elizabeth, darling," the woman called. Ferre reluctantly opened the door. Feuilly and Fey followed. The woman looked the two boys over. "Where are the rest of your friends?" she asked.

"Eponine and Cosette aren't arriving until later," Ferre said, dragging her feet over to where her mother stood. "Enjolras and Marius stopped by the Prouvaire's house with Jehan to visit. Bahorel is driving the rest over right now."

"Oh," Mrs Combeferre said, looking a little disappointed. "Well, dear, let me look at you."

She circled around her daughter, teetering in the ridiculous heels.

"Where are your contacts, dear?"

"I don't like them," Ferre said, crossing her arms self-consciously.

Mrs Combeferre tisked. "Well, lucky thing we have some extras. And we'll have to do your hair, too." She grabbed her daughter's face. "Have you been eating right? You're looking a bit pudgy."

Ferre sighed. Mrs Combeferre looked over at the two boys in the driveway. "Why don't you two go on inside and wait for your friends. The bar is open. I have to take Elizabeth upstairs."

Fey smiled at her sympathetically, then lead Feuilly inside. Once they were gone, Mrs Combeferre took Ferre firmly by the arm and marched her up the steps.

"Darling, I do wish you would warn me which friends you are going to invite."

"I've had the same ones for four years, Mother," Ferre said. Mrs Combeferre clucked her teeth.

"If we didn't know the Courfeyracs so well, I don't think I would have invited that boy back," she hissed as she dragged her up the stairs. She stopped suddenly.

"Elizabeth, what have you been doing to your hair? When was the last time you had it cut?"

"Two weeks ago," she said. "Cosette did it."

Mrs Combeferre shuddered. "Well, I guess that's top of the list."

Two hours later Ferre could hear the strands of a band playing down in the courtyard. Voices drifted up to her from below. She walked, or rather hobbled, down the stairs. Grantaire stood at the bottom, having received her text asking for assistance. He looked up as he heard her footsteps.

"Don't say a word," she said dangerously. Grantaire's face split open into a gaping smile. He reached out and tugged at one of her curls.

"Oh my god," he said. "You're so blonde."

She smacked his hand away. "It's highlights," she grumbled.

"And tall," he continued.

"Theses heels are five inches," she said.

"And you have boobs!" he finished gleefully.

"Shut up," she said, trying to hoist her dress up.

"I like it," he said, practically giggling. "This is a very good look for you."

"It's pink," she growled. Grantaire burst out laughing and Ferre glared at him. "I need a drink," she muttered irritatedly. Still laughing, Grantaire pulled a flask out of the pocket of his sports coat and handed it to her. She hesitated, torn between lecturing Grantaire and fear of facing this party sober.

"You're going to die young," Ferre compromised, grabbing the flask and taking a generous swig. Grantaire offered her his arm and she clutched it gratefully, swaying in the ridiculous heels.

"Cosette and Eponine are here," he said. "And Marius."

She nodded, too focused on balancing to pay much attention to anything else. Enjolras appeared from behind a pillar. "Um," he said, looking uncomfortable. "Did your mother tell you who she invited?"

"No," she said. "She never does. Why?"

"Because my stepmother's here," he said. Ferre stared up at him in shock.

"I'll handle this," she said. "You go watch Marius."

Enjolras made a face. "Do I have to?"

Ferre glared. Grantaire burst out laughing again. Ferre let out an enraged shriek and chucked her shoe at Grantaire, which only made him laugh harder. She caught him in the gut with the other shoe and ran off to find her mother.

She found her in the midst of an earnest discussion with Fey, of all people.

"Yes, that's exactly the issue with Dior these days, I completely agree," he was saying. Joly stood behind him, giggling. His face lit up at the sight of Ferre.

"Ferre!" he cried happily. Fey turned from schmoozing up Mrs Combeferre and his jaw dropped. He looked happier than a kid on Christmas. Mrs Combeferre looked at her daughter with haughty displeasure.

"Where are your shoes, dear?" she said, but before Ferre could answer Courfeyrac had stepped forward.

"Elizabeth Anne Combeferre!" he said gleefully. "You look positively scrumptious!" he chucked her under the chin. "Smile, darling. You look just like Kristin Chenoweth."

Ferre bared her teeth up at him. Fey slipped his arm into hers and pulled her off, waving at her mother. Once around the corner he lost it completely.

"I'm sorry," he wheezed. "It's just... you're so pink!" He leaned up against the wall for support.

"I think she looks pretty," Joly said. She smiled at him.

"Thank you, dear. Crap, I was supposed to talk to my mom and she disappeared again."

"What about?" Fey said breathlessly.

"Apparently Enjolras's stepmom is here."

Fey stopped laughing. "Is his dad?"

She shrugged. "That's what I have to find out, I guess."

"Okay," Fey said. "Have you seen Eponine?"

"No, why?" Ferre said. Fey didn't answer. Ferre turned a suspicious glare on him. "Why, Fey?"

"She's part of my plan to get Marius laid. I'm sure I explained this to you."

Ferre sighed. "Okay. I don't want to argue with you. Joly, come help me find my mother."

Joly looked terrified but followed her. "Oh, wait," she called to Fey. "Can you get my shoes back from R?" Fey nodded and sauntered off.

"Why does R have your shoes?" Joly asked.

"Because I threw them at him," she growled.

Joly wisely decided not to ask any more questions.


	14. Chapter 14

"Stop that," Eponine snapped. Marius pulled his hand back from his tie, looking terrified.

"Sorry," he said. Eponine sighed and readjusted his jacket. "I'm just nervous."

Eponine nodded, not looking him in the eyes. "What if she says no?" he asked.

"She won't," Eponine said. "I promise."

He nodded. "Right," he said. "Okay. Let's do this."

She smirked. "Not yet. Wait for the music."

"Yeah," he said, looking nervous.

"God, do I pity your best man," she smiled.

He smiled down at her. "Go have a drink," she said. "It's an open bar." He nodded. "But just one," she cautioned. "We don't need another Grantaire on our hands."

He kissed the top of her head. "What would I do without you?"he asked. She smiled up at him. _Be happy,_ she told herself. _He is._

"Oh," she said, looking across the dance floor. "I see Fey and Cosette. Go mingle. And keep your hands away from that tie!"

She took off across the courtyard to where Cosette stood. Cosette turned and beamed at her.

"Eponine! You look gorgeous!"

Eponine paused and looked down at herself. It was true, she supposed. The midnight blue dress Cosette had lent her fit her like a glove, and she her brown curls were arranged artfully around her shoulders. A single diamond sparkled on her chest.

She looked up at Cosette. She was gorgeous too. Her thick, gleaming chestnut hair was braided ornately on top of her head. She wore a shimmering dress of rose pink which gave her the appearance of a ballerina or a fairy princess. _Look at us,_ Eponine thought. _So much has changed from when we were ragged urchins. _In fact, Eponine would almost have dared to say that they were princesses. And at least one of them would get her prince tonight.

"You too," she said, hugging Cosette tightly. Cosette looked a little surprised. She pulled back to smile at Eponine.

"Is Marius here?" she asked. Eponine nodded. Fey wandered over to them.

"Cosette," he murmured. "Why don't you go stand in the middle of the dance floor?"

"Because I don't trust you," she said, raising an eyebrow. "What are you planning?"

"Nothing," Fey breezed. "Just go find Bosseut. Joly's looking for him. And he's on the dance floor."

She glared at Fey but gracefully floated off to the middle of the dance floor.

"I don't see him," she called back, looking for Fey and Eponine. They had already disappeared. Cosette heaved an exasperated sigh.

Fey pulled Eponine in behind the DJ's booth. "Okay," he said. "Is everything in place?"

Eponine nodded. "I bribed the DJ. Stand's all yours."

"Good," he smiled. "Now let's make some magic."

He climbed up onto the stand and pulled out his iPod. He pressed the play button. A banjo and fiddle burst into corny country song. "Fey!" Eponine hissed.

"Sorry, sorry," he muttered, fumbling with the buttons as the party-goers began to stare. "I was listening to Oklahoma on my way here." He clicked triumphantly and the fiddle turned into a violin quartet. "There," he said cheerfully.

They watched together as Marius moved in towards Cosette. They spoke for a few seconds, then began to dance. "Magic," Fey said with satisfaction. Eponine nodded, feeling the beginnings of tears behind her eyes. She felt Fey's arm around her shoulder and she leaned into him gratefully. "Are you going to be okay?" he asked.

"Yeah," she whispered into his chest. They watched the dance floor for a few more moments. From behind Marius and Cosette they saw Grantaire and Bosseut being pulled out of the garden by a pair of secret-service-y men. Joly trailed after them, chuckling.

Eponine straightened up and looked at Fey. "I'm going to go find out what they did," she said to him. He smiled and nodded. She walked down off the DJ podium and headed into the garden.

She had only gone a few feet into the hedges before she found Enjolras. "Hi," she said, startled. He looked up at her. He had lost his jacket and tie at some point during the night. His blond hair was rumpled and a glass of scotch sat next to him.

"Hi," he said, looking equally surprised to see her.

"What are you doing here?" she asked.

"Avoiding people. You?"

"Same," she said, sitting down next to him. He offered her his drink and she sipped it delicately. "So who are you avoiding?"

"Everyone," he said tiredly.

Eponine raised her eyebrows. "Do you want me to leave?"

"No," he said gently.

They sat in silence for a few moments. Then Enjolras spoke. "Who are you avoiding?"

She shook her head. "It doesn't matter."

He nodded, leaning forward onto his knees. "You look exhausted," she said.

"I'm alright," he said tersely. She looked at him with disbelief. He sighed. "I don't like being here," he admitted. "Being around these people- smiling and playing nice while children are starving- it's exhausting and I feel like a fraud."

"Why?"

"Because," he said. "I try so hard to get rid of this life. To help people. And I come back here and it feels like nothing has changed. Like I'm just another rich boy with a cause."

"You're not," she said quietly. "No one who's ever heard you speak could think that."

His mouth twitched up in a half smile. "Thank you," he said. They sat for a few moments. Through the hedges of the garden they could hear the faint strains of the music still playing. Enjolras stood suddenly.

"Let's dance," he said.

"What?"

"Let's dance. It's a party. We're in formalwear. There's music. Let's dance."

"I can't dance," she said uncertainly.

"That's fine. I can." He held out his hand. She stared at it for a few seconds, then took it. He pulled her up and into a waltz position. They began to dance. He really could, she was surprised to note, gently leading her around the garden. She smiled up at him and he dipped her gracefully and pulled her up. They stood there, staring at each other.

"Where'd you learn how to do that?" she asked incredulously, terribly aware of his hand on her waist.

He shrugged. "Fey made Ferre and I take a ballroom dance class with him when we were younger." He didn't let her go, and she didn't pull away.

Suddenly they heard shouting over the music. "What's going on?" she said.

"I'd put solid money down on Bahorel," he said, letting go of her waist. "Come on." He pulled her forward. "Let's go see."

When the music began playing, Cosette was heading off the dance floor. She was reasonably certain that something was about to fall on her. The country music didn't help that suspicion and she looked around, expecting to see Les Amis square dancing naked or something like that. Instead, she saw something much better: Marius.

Marius Pontmercy was heading towards her. She smiled, suddenly understanding Fey and Eponine's bizarre behavior. She had little doubt that they had been planning this for weeks in advance. And she was grateful. Because something about the way Marius looked at her, the shy way he peeked up through his ridiculously thick eyelashes, the way he'd argued with Enjolras at the first meeting Eponine had dragged her to, something about him that made her feel like her insides were made of helium whenever she heard his name. And now here he was, looking handsome and bashful in a dark suit that brought out the shine of his hair, walking towards her.

"May I have this dance?"

Fey watched with satisfaction as Marius and Cosette whirled starry-eyed around the dance floor. This was well worth Grantaire winning again.

Out of the corner of his eye he saw a familiar dark head leaving the dance floor. He darted down off the stand and chased after it.

"Jehan!" he called into the darkness. "Can I talk to you?" he asked, stopping right in front of him.

"Sure," the other boy said. "What's up?"

Fey took a deep breath. "Look," he began. "I've been calling and texting you almost hourly for the past three days. And I figure that that kiss didn't mean anything, and that's fine, if that's what you want, but you don't have to ignore me. Because I'm fine. If you just want to be friends. I mean, I want to be friends. I mean, I want to see you. And talk to you. And you don't have to avoid me-" he stopped, noticing the smile spreading across Jehan's face. "What?"

"My phone is broken," Jehan said. "It fell out of my pocket last week while I was climbing a tree. I haven't gotten any texts since last week."

"Oh," Fey said.

"And I haven't been ignoring you," he said earnestly. "I've been sitting in the sitting in the Musain for hours waiting for you to show up."

"I've been looking for you in the park!" Fey said. "I blew off my drama class to wander the English wing looking for you!"

Jehan began to laugh. Fey joined in. They quieted after a few seconds.

"The kiss... it meant something," Jehan said. "To me, at least."

Fey smiled. "Good," he said, and softly kissed him.

At three o'clock AM, Ferre finally staggered into her room.

Grantaire had won, as usual, but poor Bosseut had been thrown out with him for breaking a fountain while trying to keep R from relieving himself in it. Bahorel had broken the DJ's nose and Feuilly had doodled on the tablecloths. Joly had followed Bosseut and Fey and Jehan had disappeared around ten. She'd just gotten a text from Cosette saying that they were all at the Prouvaire's for the night except Enjolras, who had apparently been convinced to return to his own home. Nothing was left for her to do. She pulled an oversize tee-shirt over her head and unpinned her hair, feeling the relief wash over her scalp. She hated this, all this. She couldn't wait to get back to school, to use her brain once more. Her mother had done nothing but criticize her all night. She was tired. So tired. She fell into her bed, asleep before she hit the pillow.

She was awoken half an hour later by a knocking on her window. She looked up to see a familiar silhouette against the glass.

"Enjolras?" she said, opening the window. "What's wrong?"

He climbed into her room and sat on the edge of her bed. She looked at him worriedly, memories flooding through her mind of all the times he'd knocked on her window in the middle of the night.

"I just got and email," he said. "Senator LaMarque had a heart attack."

"What?" Ferre gasped. "Is he alright?"

Enjolras looked her straight in the eye. "He's dead."


	15. Chapter 15

At approximately three o'clock in the afternoon, a series of text messages worked their way through Les Amis du L'ABC.

It started with Courfeyrac, as these things tended to do, whose phone rang with a text from Combeferre at about two fifty.

_Two things: One: Congrats on you and Jehan. Two: Lamarque apparently had a heart attack and died. Im worried about E. I think he might do something stupid. Has he come home yet?_

Courfeyrac did not manage to respond to this text because another one arrived from Feuilly seconds later. If he could have, however, he would have said something along the lines of:

_1) thnx 2) no he hasn't been home since this morning when he dumped his stuff. U really worried?_

The text from Feuilly read as follows:

_Code redwhiteblue. Quad. E is stirring up trouble. He looks righteously pissed did something happen?_

To which Fey replied:

_According to ferre lamarque had a heart attack. I'm on my way. Txt ferre._

Which was why, at two fifty five, Combeferre received three separate texts. First, from Feuilly:

_Redwhiteblue. E's at quad. Plz send backup._

Second, from Jehan:

_Hey is there a reason why I just got a redwhiteblue text from feuilly?_

And third, from Grantaire, which had nothing to do with the first two:

_Do u have any idea where my calculus class is? (also: did you know you have to take calculus to graduate?)_

She ignored the last one and sent off two replies. To Feuilly, she sent a simple _On my way. _

To Jehan, she sent a slightly longer message: _No clue but I don't think its going to be good._

Jehan got this message on his brand-new phone, which he and Fey had just gone out shopping for a few hours earlier. He was still getting used to the keyboard, which was why he rather mangled the spelling in his text to Courfeyrac.

_Is somerhing goinf on that I ahould kno anout?_

When Courfeyrac deciphered this message, it took him a moment to realize his new boyfriend was probably texting him about the whole Enjolras situation rather than accusing him of anything.

_I think I know as much as you do, _he replied.

_Kepp me poated, _Jehan said.

Fey was halfway to the quad at this point. When his phone rang again, he pulled it out, for once exasperated by his popularity.

It was from Eponine. _Do y'all kno Enjolras is screaming at passers-by in the quad?_

Fey sighed. _We're aware. _

_K, _she replied. _Just checking. _

Enjolras's phone had been ringing steadily from where he left it on his desk for the past two minutes with messages from Ferre.

_What are you doing?_

_E. answer me._

_Enjolras!_

_E plz stop before you get arrested. _

_E! Answer me!_

And now a new text, from Bahorel.

_Enjolras answer your fucking phone goddamnit._

Bahorel had been summoned by Feuilly from an after class study session with a girl who had been cheer captain back in high school and he was not pleased.

_Will someone please tell me what the fuck is going on? _He sent crankily to Ferre. Ferre, who was sprinting to the quad, didn't answer. So Bahorel moved on to Joly.

_Joly what is happening?_

_Um?_

_Do u or bosseut have any idea what is happening?_

_No?_

_God ur fucking useless._

Joly was not actually with Bosseut at that moment. He was in a class, while Bosseut was sipping a coffee at the Musain.

_Hey do u know why bahorel just texted me asking what's happening?_

Bosseut had to open the message twice before he could reply because he kept accidentally hitting the "clear" button. When he finally managed to open a reply text, he said only:

_whatever it is it's not going down at the Musain._

Joly's professor came over at that moment and confiscated his phone.

Fey reached the quad before Ferre and was not surprised to see Enjolras standing on top of a bench, with Feuilly wearing an I've-never-seen-this-man-before-in-my-life-type expression on his face. And with good reason. Fey whipped out his phone.

_Ferre get here quick_

She opened this message while gasping for air next to a water fountain just outside the quad.

_Jesus christ what is he doing? _She replied.

In answer she received a picture of Enjolras doing a remarkable impression of an avenging angel.

She sprinted the rest of the way.

At three forty, Marius Pontmercy's phone rang. Cosette picked it up.

_Would it be at all possible for you to lend us some bail money? _It was from Fey. Cosette handed the phone to Marius wordlessly, who read the message and began to type furiously.

_What did you do?_

_Not me this time, _Fey said. _Enjolras. It's a long story. _

_I can get u money but txt ponine. She knows her way around bailing ppl out._

And so it was that at three forty seven Eponine's phone rang with the following text from Combeferre:

_Eponine, do you think you could lend us a hand with getting E out of jail for disturbing the peace? We have money marius just said to ask you for help._

Eponine wondered whether this sort of thing was a regular occurrence when one was a member of Les Amis, and if so, whether it was too late to revoke her membership.


	16. Chapter 16

"She's on her way," Ferre said, snapping the phone closed. "Come on."

Feuilly, Bahorel, and Fey looked up from where they were sprawled on the grass of the quad. Feuilly sighed and rose, pulling Fey to his feet. Bahorel stayed on the ground belligerently. _Only Bahorel_, Fey thought with a sigh, _can make being lazy seem so warlike. _

"Get up," he said, kicking the larger boy in the ribs. Bahorel glared up at him.

"I'm not getting up until someone explains to me why I sprinted out of a date with a hot cheerleader to see Enjolras get arrested in the quad."

"Senator LaMarque had a heart attack," Ferre sighed. "I think Enjolras is over compensating."

That got Bahorel's attention. "LaMarque had a heart attack? Is he dead?"

"Yes," Ferre said.

"What does that mean for the Anti-Terrorist act?"

"That's a good question," she said. "One that we will answer once our fearless leader has been released from prison."

Bahorel huffed and stood, towering over the others. "Okay," he said begrudgingly. "Let's go."

They set off across the quad when suddenly Ferre stopped.

"Do any of us actually know where Enjolras is?" she asked.

They stared at each other. "Crap," Feuilly said.

"He doesn't have his phone on him, does he?" Fey said.

"I don't think so," Ferre said, sounding exhausted. "Christ. That boy..."

"Is due for a serious ass-kicking," Bahorel growled.

Ferre's phone rang at that exact moment. "Hey," a familiar voice crackled over the other end.

"Fuck you," she said. "Where are you?"

"Seventy-second and Westbrook Ave," Enjolras responded. "Sorry."

"We're on our way," she said grouchily.

"Who's we?"

"Me, Feuilly, Fey, Bahorel. Eponine."

"Why Eponine? Never mind. Listen. Tell everyone else to meet at the Musain. We've got work to do."

"Over half of them are in class."

"This is far more important."

"Enjolras, we'll be there in ten minutes. I'm guaranteeing nothing, but I'll do my best."

He sighed heavily on the other end. "Alright. See you soon."

She hung up and looked at the boys. "He's at-"

"We heard," Fey said. "Let's go."

They sighed and headed off towards the police station. "I would like to point out," Bahorel said, kicking a rock ahead of him, "that Enjolras was not only arrested before me in college, he was arrested before Grantaire."

"You know, I heard that the cops are really militant around here," Feuilly said. "I hope Enjolras is okay."

"He won't be for long," Bahorel muttered.

Ferre sighed. Her feet still hurt from last night. "I really hope this isn't going to be a repeat of senior year," she said quietly. Only Fey heard her.

"Why do I get the horrible feeling it's going to be worse?" he murmured back, taking her hand.

They met up with Eponine outside the jail, where she sat on a bench, her textbook and various notes spread across her lap. She smiled when she saw them.

"Oh, good," she said. "I didn't want to go in until I was sure this was the right one. Do you have the money?"

They nodded and handed it over. She folded up her textbook and stood. "Let's go," she said. They all looked at her rather pathetically. "What?" she said.

"We don't know what we're doing," Ferre said tiredly. Eponine chuckled.

"Well then. Aren't you lucky I do?"

She waltzed into the station, her brown curls bouncing behind her.

They found themselves in the station's waiting room. Eponine turned to them. "You wait here," she said, turning. "I'll take care of- Inspector!"

Eponine had almost ran into a taller cop with almost vertical posture. He glared down at her. Eponine, for her part, had gone whiter than Joly confronted with e boli.

"Miss Thenadier," he said curtly. "I wish I could say that I was surprised to see you here."

She flinched slightly. "I'm here for my friend," she said softly. The cop raised his eyebrows skeptically.

"If I were you, Miss Thenadier, I would try to find friends who avoided police stations. Tell me, how is your sister?"

She swallowed hard. Ferre felt a bubble of anger rising in her chest, the same protective urge she felt whenever anyone was bullying Jehan or calling Enjolras stuck-up or R a lazy drunk. Eponine was one of her kids, she realized. Nobody messed with her kids.

The officer sneered down at Eponine. "I'm sure I'll be seeing you soon," he said. Eponine looked like she wanted to say something, but she bit her tongue and the officer strutted past her and out the door.

"What was that?" Fey asked quietly.

Eponine turned. She looked shaken. "That's the dick who arrested my parents," she said. "His name's Javert."

They all looked around, not really sure what to say. Eponine sighed. "I'll have Enjolras out in five minutes," she said, and pushed open the door.

It actually took seven minutes for her to release the blond demagogue from prison, seven minutes in which Fey almost joined him for asking a returning cop if he had any doughnuts. Finally, the door swung open and Enjolras stormed out, followed by Eponine, who looked exasperated.

"Let's go," he said, barely sparing a glance for them as he continued out the other door.

"Gosh, you're welcome, Enjolras," Eponine snapped from behind him. He whirled around, seeming surprised to discover her behind him. Then he turned to face the rest of his friends.

"I'm sorry," he huffed. "Thank you all for coming to get me. Now can we please go? There's work to be done."

"For what?" Ferre asked.

"The campaign," he said, as though it were the most natural thing in the world, and turned and walked out of the building.

Ferre looked around, then sighed and followed him. The others followed her. They walked like this, a long line of exasperated teens trailing a preoccupied god. Ferre dropped back to walk next to Eponine.

"Thanks for your help," she said quietly. Eponine smiled tiredly.

"It's fine. Who actually needs to go to class, anyway?"

"You were in class?"

"Just getting out of one."

Ferre sighed. Just another casualty of Enjolras's oblivion. Oh well.

They arrived at the Musian in less than ten minutes, finding Jehan and Bosseut waiting on the couches in the back room. Jehan's face lit up at the sight of Courfeyrac, who instantly curled up next to him, his curly brown head resting on Jehan's slim shoulder. Eponine tossed herself on the couch next to Bosseut and Bahorel and Feuilly quickly followed suit. Ferre sighed and plopped down at one of the tables. Only Enjolras remained standing.

"Where's everyone else?" he asked grouchily. Eponine suddenly squealed in fear when the couch moved forward slightly and a tousled black head poked up from behind the cushions.

"Hi," Grantaire said sleepily, blinking up at all of them.

Ferre glared at him. "I thought you had calculus."

"I did. I couldn't find it," he replied. Ferre sighed. Enjolras slammed his hand down on the table and they all jumped.

"Can you all take this a little seriously for once?" he snapped. "An outrageous breach of justice is about to be perpetrated and you're all discussing classes!"

Ferre looked up at him in confusion.

"Enjolras," she said gently. "We're all upset that LaMarque died. But I thought that the bill had gained enough opposition-"

"You don't understand," Enjolras said. "Those bastards in the senate scheduled the vote for the day of LaMarque's funeral. None of the opposition is going to be there."

Fey lifted his head off Enjolras's shoulder. "But that means-"

"That means," Enjolras continued, "that unless we do something drastic, that bill is going to be passed."

Nobody dared to ask what drastic meant.


	17. Chapter 17

"So what do you want?" Marius asked, looking down at Cosette. She looked down at the various flavors arrayed beneath the glass.

"I'll have a small coffee," she said, slipping her hand into his. He smiled down at her before looking back up at the girl behind the ice-cream counter.

"One small coffee and one mint-chocolate chip with sprinkles."

She smiled at what a little kid he could be. No wonder he got along so well with Eponine's brother. He handed over the money for the ice cream and then passed her the cone while he struggled to balance his own. She waited patiently for him to steady himself before they walked, still hand-in-hand, out into the park.

Outside the sun was shining and the birds were singing. Cosette lead Marius over to the bench where they sat and enjoyed their ice cream.

Marius's phone went off just then and he was forced to release her hand as he fished around in his pocket for it. He pulled it out and made a face.

"Has Enjolras been arrested again?" she asked.

"No," he said. "He wants all to meet at the Musain, apparently." He sighed. "LaMarque's funeral is in one week and I don't think he's slept at all since he heard the news."

"This is really important to him, huh?" she said, absently pushing back a strand of his hair.

"Yeah," he sighed. "It really is."

"Which is why we should go," she finished for him. "It's fine. You know I love your friends."

"That's what I'm afraid of," he teased. "I keep on expecting you to leave me for Feuilly or somebody."

"Feuilly's not my type," she chuckled, allowing him to pull her to her feet.

"Oh really?" he asked. "And just what is your type?"

"Freckles," she said, brushing a finger along the bridge of his nose. He smiled, his cheeks growing rosy. "Freckles and an easy blusher."

Now he was practically scarlet. It was simply adorable. And completely irresistible.

They wound up more than a little late to the meeting.

They heard Combeferre's voice as they entered the cafe through the walls of the back room.

"Enjolras, we're trying, but-"

"But what?"

"Please just take a deep breath and-" she sounded close to tears. Marius gestured to Cosette to wait outside and walked into the back room. What he saw was not exactly surprising to him. Enjolras stood in front of all the others, arrayed on the couches. Bahorel had a protective arm around Ferre and was glaring up at Enjolras. Eponine sat perched on the edge of a couch with the kind of expression he had only seen a few times. Usually right before she beat the crap out of whatever dick was giving her trouble. Everyone looked up as he entered.

"Marius," Enjolras said stiffly. "What kept you?"

"Cosette," he said honestly. He was too terrible of a liar to even attempt to pull the wool over Enjolras's eyes.

"Oh, good," Enjolras said bitterly. "I bet that was a big help with the campaign."

"Campaign?" Marius said. "When did we turn into seventeenth century generals? Say bill, Enjolras."

"Boys, calm down," Combeferre tried. "Let's all just calm down and actually discuss our plans."

Enjolras snorted. "So now you want to discuss our plans?"

"Nobody wants to discuss the plan," Grantaire said tiredly and sarcastically. "We just want you to sit down for a few minutes before we drop a brick on your head to shut you up."

"Did anyone ask for your opinion?" Enjolras asked, not even turning to look at him.

"Of course not," Grantaire said, taking a swig out of his bottle.

"Then shut up," Enjolras snapped.

"Enjolras," Fey said, standing and walking slowly towards him. "Why is this so important to you?"

He turned to stare at Fey. "Because it's wrong," he said, sounding like a frustrated toddler.

"We get that," Feuilly said quietly. "Believe me, we all want this bill to disappear. But we're a little concerned about you."

"It's great to stand up for what you believe in, Enjolras, but-" Marius began.

"But what?" the other boy said, whirling back to face him. "When was the last time you stood up for something longer than between break-ups?"

The sound of seven people gasping at once filled the air. Enjolras's face showed he knew he'd gone to far with that. Marius glared at him, his brown eyes cold.

"You dumb bastard," Marius said shakily. "Fuck this."

And he turned and walked back out through the door. Enjolras stood and looked at his friends. Nobody said anything for a few seconds.

Jehan rose. "We stand with you, Enjolras. No matter what. But I think you should go home for now. Get some sleep. Something."

He looked desperately over at Fey, who stepped behind Jehan, and then to Ferre, who closed her eyes behind her thick glasses and leaned up against Bahorel's wide shoulders. Enjolras closed his brilliant blue eyes for a moment, then opened them and left the way Marius had.

After he left, there was only silence. Then Eponine stood and exited after him.

"What the fuck was that?" she cried as soon as she got outside. Enjolras turned, his face stone.

"Excuse me?" he snarled. Eponine advanced on him, her brown curls accentuating every word she said with a little leap.

"What the _fuck_ is wrong with you? What on earth makes you think _that_ is okay?"

"Makes me think what is okay?" He refuses to back down under her fierce glare, pulling every inch he had on her out to loom over her.

"They are your friends!" she snapped up at him. "They have done _nothing _but support you! And you pull that crap on them? Come on, Enjolras! What the hell are you so fucking _angry _about?"

His perfect lips twisted at that. His hand flicked out, faster than her eyes could follow, and he grabbed her wrist and yanked her sleeve up to reveal the jagged scar running across her upper arm. She pulled her arm away quickly, glaring up at him. He smirked and pulled up his shirt to show a series of silver lines crossing his chest too.

"See?" he hissed. "Let me guess. Broken beer bottle? I've got a few of those. Most of these are from the belt, actually. He even had a riding whip he liked to use sometimes."

She sucked in a guilty breath of air. "That," Enjolras continued, his eyes burning with some sort of fire, "is why I am _so fucking angry. _Because I know, Eponine. Because I know what it's like to be alone. To be oppressed. And god, I am so fucking sorry if I hurt Marius's delicate little feelings. He doesn't know, Eponine. Not like we do."

He pulls the shirt back down over his marble chest. "So the way I see it I had two options. I could turn into an even bigger bastard than him, or I could work to help people escape people like him. So I work. Every single fucking day I work to make a better tomorrow because yesterday- yesterday sucked. And this bill, this law that they are going to pass- Eponine, I am not overreacting. It's the bottles and the whips and the belts all over again. This time it's just in writing. So _don't ask me_-" he said, taking a long step back from her. "to calm down. To take a fucking break. I can't. This is it, Eponine. This is all that keeps me from becoming that."

"Tell Marius I'm sorry," he said, and turned and continued down the street.


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N: I wanted to thank everyone for their support, reviews, favorites, everything. You are all amazing! Also: I started a blog dedicated almost exclusively to this universe. I'm planning on putting some bios/drabbles/things that don't fit in the overall Roommates plot but are still interesting. If you want to check it out it's on my author page, I don't know how to put the link on here.**

Two hours later he was lying in his bed, staring up at the ceiling. He hadn't slept. Not at all. Marius hadn't been here either. He assumed he was with Cosette.

The door creaked open and a sliver of light fell across his face. He didn't move on the bed until he felt Ferre's tiny body sliding in next to him, followed by Fey's lanky form. He rolled over onto his side and wrapped his arm so that it fell over both of them, his head buried in her curly hair. Fey threw his arm over too and they simply lay there. He breathed in their presence, remembering all the other times they had lain together like this. Like family. The way it was supposed to be.

He felt Ferre's tiny hand reaching down to find his own and clutch it tightly. He breathed in her hair, the smell of her shampoo and Fey's cologne and the starchy linen of the bedsheets and a single tear trickled down his marble cheek.

They lay there like that for an hour that feels like a second and an eternity, and then Fey sat up.

"We're rallying, aren't we?"

The words fell like bricks on Enjolras's ears, and yet the minute he heard them he knew that they were true. Yes, they were rallying. He didn't have to look at Ferre to know that her eyes were wide and frightened. They terrified her, he knew. Not the rallies but the riots they often sparked. But he heard her voice chime in softly.

"I think we have to."

This was the last response he expected, and he turned to stare at her. She looked back at him levelly. "What?"

He shook his head. "I guess I was expecting you to be a little more..."

"Mom-ish?" she smirked. "Enjolras, you were a complete and total dick back at the cafe, but you're still right. We do have to stop this."

He smiled in relief.

Fey pulled open his laptop. "So what do we have to do?"

"Well, first we should probably turn on a light," Ferre said.

She didn't get back to her room till late that night. She was unsurprised to see Eponine sitting up waiting for her. Ferre sighed and put her bag down on the chair next to the door.

"I'm guessing he told you?"

Eponine nodded.

"How much?"

She shrugged. "Not much."

Combeferre nodded slowly. "Let's go get a drink," she said.

Eponine wasn't surprised to find that Combeferre had a key to Grantaire's room. Nor was she surprised when she opened his closet to pull out a cheap bottle of wine.

She was surprised when they climbed to the top of the dorms and Ferre pulled a packet of cigarettes out from behind a bush. "They're Bahorel's," she said tiredly, lighting one. "I don't usually smoke. Just on special occasions." She blew out a thin stream of smoke. "Well, that and when I'm talking about Enjolras's family."

"You don't have to. If you don't want to," Eponine said. Ferre shook her head.

"No. You have to understand. Now that he's told you." She opened the bottle and took a casual swig, then passed it to Eponine.

"It all started when he was ten years old," she began, staring out over the buildings. "Enjolras's mother... She was beautiful. Wonderful. I was always so jealous of him, of how perfect she was. Completely the opposite of my mother. She was the first adult to tell me I was smart, actually. And Enjolras's dad- wasn't around much. That was just the way it was. Dads weren't a big part of our lives back then. They were more of a special treat, you know? Seeing daddy when he got home from work. But with Enjolras's dad- He showed up even less than the others. I don't think Enjolras cared. Why would he? He had his mom." She took another sip from the bottle, more desperate now. "And then when Enjolras was ten years old his mother died of cancer. And his father... He was always kind of cold, but- I swear to god, everything good about that man died with his wife. And Enjolras- Enjolras was proud. Even back then, this little ten year old boy with those big blue eyes and he was proud. Too proud to tell me more than he had to. And he absolutely forbid from telling anyone else."

She sucked in a shaky breath. "Fey found out. He always found out everything. But Enjolras made him swear too. We were kids, Ponine. We didn't know any better. You have to understand, the way we were raised- It was all smiles and hugs until you got behind closed doors. I don't know- if we had told anyone- if they would have listened. That's not an excuse. I know it. But it's an explanation, I guess."

"He never touched Enjolras after he turned thirteen. I guess he was scared he would fight back. But at least when he was hitting him he knew Enjolras existed. Enjolras is eighteen now. He's had three stepmoms so far and from what I saw at the party it looks like he's getting another one. And it wasn't that he was seeking attention from his father. His mother was like that too, I think. She was into economics and politics. I guess it was genetic, because when he was thirteen he really started to fight back against... society, I guess? We meet the rest of the gang in high school, and- Enjolras didn't need love. He had love. He had us. What he needed was someone to tell him to calm down. What you saw today? That was hardly anything. When he wants to, he can be so terrible- Ever since high school I've been the one they've come to for help. And Enjolras needs the most and asks for the least. He's wonderful, Eponine. He's noble and bold and... self sacrificing. And that's the problem. He never learned how to look out for himself. He looks out for everyone else in the world and just forgets about him. There have been times when I've had to remind him to eat because he's working on some project or something."

She sighed and put out her cigarette. "I love him like a brother and a son and a friend. I would die for him in a heartbeat. But I constantly worry about him."

Eponine looked at this tiny girl. In the half-light of the moon, her knees tucked up to her chest, her hair escaping from it's perpetually unraveling bun, she looked like a child. She hadn't realized, until just this moment, just how strong this wisp of a girl- this wisp of a woman- truly was.

She didn't say anything, just laid her head on Ferre's shoulder and took her hand.

"Everyone else knows. Most of it. Only Enjolras knows everything that happened,"  
Ferre said. "But they've all seen the scars. I just wanted to make sure that you- understood. Why it is we follow him. He isn't one of those boys who was born with a silver spoon in his mouth. He really does understand what he's trying to stop."

Eponine nodded. She lifted her head and gently kissed Ferre on the cheek.

"Thank you," Eponine said, and they sat there like that and watched the moon swim its way across the sky.


	19. Chapter 19

Afterwards, no one, not even the eye witnesses, could explain how it happened. The beginning was there, and the end. It was just the middle that got a bit foggy.

Cosette was staying with her father when she got the email. She had almost forgotten that she'd applied to go abroad next semester in the hustle and bustle of school and social activism. She opened it, expecting a rejection, and was shocked to find an acceptance letter.

She called over her father, who looked it over, beaming with pride.

"Cosette, this is wonderful," he said, scrolling down. "What an opportunity."

She looked up at him in confusion. "I'm not going to take it," she said.

"Why not?"

"Because," she said. "I'd miss you too much, to start. And I applied for this before I really got to know Eponine and Ferre and everybody. I don't want to leave them either."

If Dr Fauchevault noticed how she left out Marius he did not comment. Fauchevault had met Marius only once before and was less than impressed. "I don't know, sweetie," he said, still looking at the screen. "This is a big opportunity. You'll get a real feel for the culture in France-"

"Ferre just finished a term paper on the french revolution. I know plenty about France."

Fauchevault shrugged. "Don't just reject this out of hand," he said. "Promise me you'll think about it."

She nodded, resolving to ask the Amis when she got to the cafe.

"I think it could be good for you," he continued.

"You didn't want me to move half a mile away. Now you want me to go across the ocean?"

Fauchevault just smiled and kissed the top of her head.

"He's being ridiculous, right?" Cosette asked from where she sat atop a table in the back room of the cafe.

"I don't know," Ferre said, slicing open a box with a pair of scissors. "It is a great opportunity. I know they're really selective in who they pick."

"Yeah, but an entire semester?" she said. "I don't want to go away that long."

"You'd probably come back for holidays," Ferre said. "Here, start sorting those flyers over there. Red are for Fey, black is for Enjolras, and white is us."

Cosette obliged distractedly. "I just don't think I could leave."

"Marius?" Ferre asked gently.

"Yeah," Cosette said.

"Well, ask him," Ferre said. "But if it's a choice between him and your education, you know which I'd pick."

"You're a lesbian, you would always choose books over a guy."

Ferre waved away this technicality. "Over a life partner," she amended.

Enjolras walked in with his arms full of boxes which he dropped on the table and began to simply tear open. Ferre offered him the scissors and he waved them away.

"Enjolras, what do you think I should do?" she asked without really thinking. He straightened up and wiped his brow.

"Well, the boxes are pretty much all in. I think Fey and Jehan have got the flyer situation under control, but we could always use more help in bringing in outside people. How comfortable are you with a megaphone?"

She raised her eyebrows. "What are you talking about?"

"Getting ready for the rally tomorrow. Why? What are you talking about?"

"Spending a semester in France."

"Oh."

"Yeah."

Enjolras went back to unpacking boxes. "That sounds cool. France is a lovely country."

Cosette bit the inside of her cheek. "I should talk to Eponine," she said.

"You should talk to Marius," Ferre said.

Enjolras looked up at this. He still hadn't seen his roommate since he'd stormed out of the Musain, and his texts had gone unanswered. Courfeyrac said that it would all blow over if they gave them enough time, and since he knew Marius and Enjolras better than anyone, they were trusting him on this.

"How is Marius?" he asked casually.

"Good," Cosette said sympathetically. "He's just a little... you know."

They did know.

Cosette slid off the table. "I'm going to go find Ponine," she said.

"She's on the corner of twenty-fifth and Rousseau," Enjolras said. Both Ferre and Cosette looked at him questioningly. He looked up, sensing their stares.

"What?"

"How do you know Eponine's exact location?" Ferre asked.

"Because I sent her there to hand out flyers," he said. Ferre nodded slowly.

"We need to have a talk about how much information to share, Enjolras," she said. "You just can't seem to find a happy medium."

Eponine actually was on the corner of twenty-fifth and Rousseau. So were Fey and Jehan. Eponine was busily using years of street corner begging experience to hand out flyers to just about everyone she saw, and those who didn't take one- well, Eponine had been a pickpocket for years. It wasn't much harder to put things in than take them out.

Jehan was doing his best to hand out flyers, but he was somewhat hindered by the fact that Fey kept pulling him back down onto his lap where he was sprawled out on a bench.

"We promised Enjolras," he was saying when Cosette found them.

"Screw Enjolras," Fey said, burying his head in Jehan's neck. Jehan smiled but continued.

"If you don't let me go Eponine is going to win the Most Stylish Rebel Award."

Fey snorted. "She is not."

"And you're just going to win laziest. _Grantaire_ is going to beat you."

"I'm not suggesting we be lazy," Fey said wickedly. Cosette cleared her throat and the two boys jumped.

"Hey there," she said cheerfully, kissing both on the cheeks.

"Enjolras got to you too, huh?" Fey asked sympathetically.

"Nope," she said. "I'm here for Eponine."

"What's that?" the other girl said, dancing up to them. Her cheeks were slightly pink from the cold. Her dark curls tumbled out from underneath a purple beret. She had on a pale tan trench coat and gloves on her hands, one of which was extended towards Jehan. "I need more flyers."

Jehan handed them over and she took Cosette's arm as she darted back into the throng. "What's up?" she asked. "You have a stuff face."

"A what face?"

"A stuff face. Like stuff has happened."

"Wow. You're good."

Eponine elbowed her in the ribs. "So what's up?"

Cosette bit her lip. "I got accepted into a semester abroad program. In France."

Eponine's eyes widened. "Really?"

Cosette nodded.

"That's fantastic!"

Cosette slumped.

"That's terrible?" Eponine said, noticing the change in her body language.

Cosette sighed. "It's good," she said. "But I don't know if I want to take it."

"Why not?"

"Well, there's you."

Eponine smiled. "I'm flattered, dear, but don't give up an opportunity for my sake."

"And, well, Marius."

Eponine's smile froze slightly and she paused to flag down a passer-by and force a flyer into his hands. "Yes," she said when she returned. "Marius is a problem."

"So what should I do?" Cosette asked.

"Well, I don't know. Long-distance kind of never works."

"It might for us."

"Yeah, or he might forget all about you."

"He wouldn't."

Eponine passed a flyer to a pair of giggling teenagers. "Yeah, but how sure of that are you going to be in France?"

"Okay, so maybe I won't go," Cosette said.

"Talk to him about it. I don't know, Cosette, you've been dating for a little less than a month. Are you really so serious that you'd give up on something like this for him?"

Cosette thought about it for a second. She had a point. But then she thought of Marius and she knew. "Yes," she said. "I am."

Eponine was silent for a moment. "Well then," she said. "I guess the only question is, is he?"

That night they went on their version of a quadruple date: Cosette and Marius, Fey and Jehan, Ferre and Enjolras, and Eponine and whoever else was free in the back room of the cafe. The fact that only fifty percent of them were actual couples never phased them, and they swapped around a lot too; it was unsurprising to find Cosette and Jehan curled up together while Eponine and Enjolras looked over papers and Fey just took a nap next to whatever warm body he could find.

It was Grantaire who had joined them that night, and since he wouldn't let Fey take a nap on him Fey had reclaimed Jehan as his own and was braiding his hair. Ferre was lecturing Grantaire about something, probably his general refusal to go to class, and Enjolras and Eponine had traded essays and were sitting across from each other, Enjolras twirling his pen between his fingers and Eponine gently tapping her temple with hers. Enjolras and Eponine had at some point discovered they were the perfect editors for each other, because Eponine wrote sparsely and often just drafted a skeleton of an essay and Enjolras rarely wrote anything under twenty pages that wasn't full of bizarre tangents and sentences that seemed like they should be run-ons but were actually always completely grammatically correct.

Marius and Cosette sat in the corner. It was the first time Enjolras and Marius had seen each other in a week and the back room was quieter than usual with the knowledge of this. There was a slight tension in the room that only Marius and Enjolras seemed oblivious to.

Cosette avoided the topic of her semester abroad for a good hour before Eponine looked up from viciously slashing out half of Enjolras's writing to raise her eyebrows at Cosette, who sighed, understanding exactly what her friend was saying without words.

"So I got an email today from this exchange program I applied to," Cosette said to Marius, who looked up, intrigued. "I got accepted to spend a semester abroad in France."

"Really?" Marius said, a wrinkle appearing between his brows. "A whole semester?"

"Yeah," she said. "And everyone's telling me that I should take it."

"Well, don't you want to?" he asked, not looking at her.

"Kind of," Cosette said, also looking away. "Unless..."

"It sounds like a great opportunity," Marius said, still looking at his shoes. "We'll miss you, I guess."

"You guess?" Cosette said, a thrill of trepidation running through her chest.

"Well, of course we'll miss you. But, you know, we'll survive."

"For a whole semester? That's half a year."

"Well, if you don't want to do it, then don't do it," Marius said, sounding rather irritated.

"I never said I didn't want to do it," she said, her voice also rising.

"Then do it. All I said was that we'll miss you."

"Why is that all you said?" Cosette asked. "Your girlfriend might be moving across the ocean. Why aren't you saying more than we'll miss you?"

"What more do you want me to say?" Marius snapped.

"How about _I'll _miss you? How about 'what does this mean for us'? Or 'we'll skype every night and I'll call you every morning'?"

"Okay, I'll miss you, Cosette," he said tiredly. "And I'll skype and call and whatever."

"And whatever?" Cosette practically shrieked. "God, why don't you just ship me off tonight if you're so eager to get rid of me?"

"Where did that come from?" Marius said, his own voice rising to meet Cosette's. Everyone else had stopped to stare at them. Enjolras's pen was frozen between his fingers.

"It came from the fact that you're being so damn blasé about this!" she snapped. "I could be moving, Marius! I could move away and you could lose me! Doesn't that bother you at all?"

"What do you mean, I could lose you?" he said. "You're just- Are you saying I can't trust you?"

"I think I'm saying I can't trust you!"

"Why the hell not?"

Cosette stood and grabbed her bag, swinging it onto her shoulder. "Figure it out for your own damn self. I don't have to take this." And she stormed out of the cafe, banging the door behind her.

"Cosette!" Marius cried, running out after her.

They sat in stunned silence for at least five minutes, maybe more. Then the door opened again and Marius stumbled through, looking like he'd just been shot. For a moment Eponine thought that maybe he had, because his face was gaunt and pale and he looked sick to his stomach as he sagged back into his chair.

"Apparently, Cosette and I are through," Marius said, not meeting anyone's eyes. He sat for a few seconds more, then got up, grabbed his things, and left without saying another word.

Grantaire let out a low whistle.

"What the fuck just happened?"


	20. Chapter 20

An email that arrived in Javert's inbox that night from his HQ:

_Javert:_

_Been receiving flyers for student rally tomorrow and just got this link. Read it and go tomorrow. Make sure it doesn't get out of hand._

* * *

"Marius, get up."

"Marius. Are you alive?"

"Leave him alone, Fey."

"I'm worried about him. He hasn't moved in a half hour. I think he's in shock."

"You can't go into shock from a breakup, Fey."

"If anyone could Marius would."

Marius moaned and rolled over, pulling his pillow over his head. Fey made a little noise of relief.

"Marius? Are you starting to feel better?" he asked.

"No," Marius mumbled.

Enjolras sighed. "Fey. Leave Marius alone."

"But he's a friend in need."

"He's a friend in need of silence. And possibly a beer."

"Marius? Do you need a beer?"

Marius groaned again. He heard the scraping sound of Enjolras's chair being pushed back. "Fey," Enjolras said in a low murmur. "Why don't you go find Jehan or Ferre?"

"But-"

"I need Ferre to see these papers for tomorrow," Enjolras said. Fey's grumbles of protest were quickly silence by the sound of a door slamming. He heard Enjolras walking back to his desk and pulling in his chair.

"Thanks," Marius muttered.

"Anytime," Enjolras said.

_Enjolras: Marius is pretty banged up but he'll survive. How's Cosette?_

_Eponine: About the same. Shouldn't you be asleep? Big day tomorrow._

_Enjolras: Eh. I'll sleep in a bit. I've still got work to do._

_Enjolras: Oh, and Fey might show up at your room soon. I kicked him out of ours. _

_Eponine: K. Go to sleep._

_Enjolras: You sound like ferre._

"I swear to god, I am going to kill someone," Ferre muttered tiredly as Taylor Swift crooned about a white horse in the background.

"You're not a country fan?" Eponine asked quietly.

"That is not country," Ferre hissed. "And even if it was, then I would still want to shoot myself."

Eponine shrugged and went back to the floor next to Cosette.

"What do you want?" she asked her gently.

Cosette shook her head. "Nothing," she said, her voice thick.

Eponine sighed. "Cosette."

"I'm fine, Ponine."

Eponine gestured to the radio skeptically.

"What?" Cosette said. "Taylor Swift. She's wonderful."

"For pre-teens."

"And breakups."

Eponine leaned her head on Cosette's shoulder. "I'm sorry," she whispered. Cosette didn't say anything.

The door was pushed open awkwardly. Fey stood in the doorway, his arms loaded down with chocolate ice cream and what appeared to be vodka. Cosette smiled up at him tearily and he dumped the lot into her lap and pulled out four spoons.

"I called Jehan," he said, "and he's bringing over all the shirtless guy action flicks Bahorel owns. Plus more ice cream."

Now Cosette really did start to cry. Eponine pulled her in close to her chest and Fey put his hand on her back and Ferre came over to and sat down on the floor next to them and began to stroke her hair.

_Eponine: U ok?_

_Marius: No._

_Eponine: Yeah. I guess not._

_Marius: This is so stupid. _

_Eponine: YOU'RE so stupid but we'll deal w/ that l8r._

_Eponine: R u still going to this thing tomorrow?_

_Marius: Is she?_

_Eponine: I doubt it._

_Marius: No. I'm not. Screw Enjolras._

_Eponine: Leave E out of this. He's being a good friend right now._

_Marius: Fuck friendship._

_Eponine: I'll come check on u 2morrow._

_Marius: Don't bother._

She woke up the next morning achey from sleeping on the floor. Her back and neck hurt. Fey, Jehan, and Ferre were already gone. A note was on her bed.

_Hey we left already to help E set up. I'm guessing you're going to be on breakup duty all day with M&C, but just in case don't come to this thing after one o'clock, that's when we're guessing its all gonna fall apart. Ferre_

Cosette groaned from the floor and pushed herself up to her elbows. She looked around, noticing the empty ice cream cartons and bottles on the floor.

"It wasn't a dream," she said flatly.

Eponine looked around. "Nope."

Cosette sighed and sat up. "Well, I guess now I have to fix it."

"Fix what?" Eponine said, looking around to see if she had somehow missed something breaking last night.

"Marius and I," Cosette said. "He was a douche, but I overreacted."

Eponine bit her lip. "Are you sure?"

"Yes," Cosette said. "I have to call him or something." She grabbed her phone. "Crap!" she cried. "It's dead!"

"He probably wouldn't even have answered," Eponine said. "Cosette, shouldn't you think about this first?"

"About what?"

"Getting back together with Marius?"

"No."

"But- what about feminism?"

Cosette stopped and stared at her. "What?"

Eponine sighed. "You know, feminism, that thing where women don't go crawling back to their men begging for forgiveness?" _Stop it, Eponine, _she tried to tell herself.

Cosette smiled at her. "I'm not begging for forgiveness. Being a feminist doesn't mean I have to be alone," she said. "I want to be able to explain myself to Marius calmly and rationally and see what he says in response, because last night I was not calm or rational. Neither was he. Hopefully after a good night's sleep we can work it out."

"But he was such an ass!"

"Eponine," Cosette said calmly, "it's Marius. He's the most oblivious person in the universe."

_Well, aren't you two just perfect for each other,_ Eponine thought desperately. But honestly, it seemed sometimes that Cosette and Marius were the only two people in the group completely unaware of Eponine's feelings towards Marius. Even Enjolras had shot her a sympathetic look the last time they'd disappeared halfway through the meeting.

"Cosette-" she started to say, but she trailed off. Marius wasn't hers. Even if he wasn't Cosette's either, he would never be hers. Wasn't that part of why she liked him? Because she knew he'd never feel the same way?

Cosette stood up from where she she had been sitting at her desk. "I left my charger at my dad's. I'm going to go get it," she said. "Can you take this to Marius?"

It was a folded piece of paper. Trust Cosette to do something so sappy as to write a love letter. Eponine took a deep breath. No, he might never be hers- but he might never be Cosette's either, she thought, hating herself for it even as she did.

"Just let me shower first," she said.

She would go to Marius. She would give him Cosette's letter. But if he wasn't unhappy- if he was better off without her-

She would go and see.


	21. Chapter 21

_Eponine: Ur friends request ur presence the protest. Mainly b/c I have something to tell you._

_Marius: What?  
Eponine: U'll c. just come._

* * *

Enjolras stepped back to take a look at their handiwork.

It looked treacherous.

It was something about the angles of the stage, the way that the light hit it it maybe, the colors, the size, _something_ about the sheer presence of this lopsided scaffold in the middle of the park. Or maybe it was the way it shook whenever anybody touched it.

"Going up on that might be a crappy idea," Feuilly said, looking up at it.

"That's what happens when you let Fey try to build a stage," Enjolras sighed. "Can you fix it?"

Feuilly chuckled. "Please. I can fix anything."

Enjolras had seen the proof of that enough times to know that he should just step back and let Feuilly work, and so he headed off to find Ferre.

He was stopped halfway there by a grubby little urchin of a child.

"Gavroche," he said, shocked. "What are you doing here?"

The little towheaded child shrugged. "I'm here to help," he said, dropping his h's in a way that Enjolras knew must drive Eponine crazy.

"Where's your sister?" he asked, looking about for the head of dark curls. Gavroche shrugged. Enjolras sighed. He didn't want to let Gavroche run amuck- the kid could do more damage than Fey- but he definitely didn't want to get in trouble with Eponine for leaving him with the wrong person, and he had work to be done.

"Can I help with that?" Gavroche said, pointing at the stage. Enjolras looked over at Feuilly questioningly. Feuilly, who was just stretching up from hammering in the supports, saw him and looked back. Enjolras gestured to Gavroche with a quick nod of his head and Feuilly shrugged in acknowledgment. Enjolras turned back to Gavroche and nodded. The boy grinned and skipped off to help Feuilly.

Jehan jogged up to him, his long hair swinging behind him. "Hey," he said. "Um. Did you know that there are police kind of patrolling the perimeter?"

Enjolras's brows shot up through his forehead. "Already? Who?"

"Javert."

"Fuck," Enjolras said succinctly.

Jehan nodded, playing nervously with the end of his braid. He looked vaguely elven today, Enjolras thought absently. "Goddamnit," he swore again.

Jehan said tentatively,"Look, he can't do anything to us unless we do something first. You know that."

"In theory," Enjolras said. "But Javert is-"

"A tortured soul?"

Enjolras stared at him, confused. "A dick." He loved Jehan dearly, but at times his poetic soul lead to giving people too much benefit of the doubt, in Enjolras's opinion.

A loud crashing noise came from behind them. Enjolras turned to see Bahorel trying to pull Grantaire out of the wreckage of a table. Jehan looked over at Enjolras and let out a little squeak of fear.

"Are you drunk?" the thundering cry came. Everyone looked up to stare at Enjolras, all looking petrified, all except Grantaire, who had just staggered back to his feet.

"Slightly," Grantaire slurred.

"What the hell are you thinking?"

"I think the point is that I'm not," Grantaire said, swaying slightly.

"There are policemen out there watching our every move! And the minute we put one toe over the line it is all over!"

Grantaire said nothing. Enjolras sucked in a dangerous breath. "What are you even doing here? Its not like you care about any of this."

Grantaire just looked at him.

"Let me stay here," he said quietly. "Sleep it off."

Nobody moved. Everyone was watching.

Grantaire's alcoholism, like Feuilly's poverty or Enjolras's slightly suicidal tendencies, was something they were all aware but very wary of, conscious that a strong push might send him running in the opposite direction. But Enjolras was never one for subtlety, nor was he one for pity. Empathy, yes, he was very empathetic, but he did not approve of wallowing of any sort. Especially not today.

He nodded, once, curtly. "Somewhere you won't be a disturbance," he snapped.

A collective sigh of not-quite-relief was released, and they went back to their work, quieter than before. Enjolras's proclamation had reminded them of the truth: this was going to be messy. These things always were. And yes, part of this was for Grantaire's own protection, they supposed. Enjolras was often toughest on those he loved best.


	22. Chapter 22

The entire campus was abuzz, full of noise and chatter. She hadn't realized, until just now, how much influence the Amis had. Here they were, halfway through freshman year, and they had mobilized the college. She slipped into the quad, past the watchful eye of a policeman standing erect and on guard. She wondered if Enjolras knew about the ring of cops circling his rally. She didn't trust them. Old habits died hard.

But even the cops couldn't stop what appeared to be half the school from showing up. She could see how the Amis had done it too. Gathered to the left of the podium were a gaggle of theater majors, that was Courfeyrac's doing. The pre-meds gathered at the back of the quad were there for Joly. The pack of blond girls who kept checking their makeup in their compact mirrors were there for either Bahorel or Enjolras or both. Combeferre had assembled the various political science majors, in their worn tee-shirts with vegan slogans and their ratty converse sneakers. She was guessing that the folks who had accidentally brought "legalize it" signs were there for Grantaire. Everyone was busy, running around, handing out flyers and pamphlets and what-not. They were all incredible, she thought. Ferre, Fey, Enjolras, Bahorel, Feuilly, Bosseut- all took their turns up on the podium to rally and inspire.

Eponine watched from the ground, her hair tucked up and her face hidden in an old baseball cap. She was doing her best to avoid them, actually. She figured the longer she avoided Marius the longer she could hold on to Cosette's letter guilt free.

Was he even here? She couldn't see him anywhere. She cursed herself for hoping he'd be here. He was probably in her dorm room now, making up with Cosette.

A scream from the crowd. A ring of people pushed outward, revealing two people locked together in heated combat, fists swinging and the horrible crunching noise of bone on bone. Even more shocking, Bahorel was nowhere near it.

Pushing his way through the crowd, Enjolras appeared. He looked glorious, just over six feet of long, lean muscle, his blond hair shining in the light. With two quick shoves he had separated the brawlers, pushing them back and shouting something she couldn't hear over the noise.

But it was too late. A sudden whistle rent the air and she saw Inspector Javert, of all people, striding through the crowd, a horde of officers following him, batons swinging and handcuffs out. The crowd quickly began to panic and Eponine hissed in displeasure. This was exactly what the police wanted, she knew, a rowdy crowd to settle. Enjolras seemed to know this too, because he had pulled Ferre up onto the stage and was yelling at everyone to just remain calm. Nobody listened and Eponine was swept up in a crush of bodies moving helter-skelter. Out of the corner of her eyes she saw the police forcing someone to the ground, heard the crack of fists, saw Bahorel being handcuffed up against a tree, his nose gushing blood and his lip split.

A clearing, a gap- she managed to find her footing, stand independent of the crowd, the crowd through which she could see Marius, screaming a police officer- a police officer who was raising his baton threateningly-

She barely even registered her feet moving. All she knew was that somehow, suddenly, she was in between the baton and Marius. She threw her hands up to take the blow. _Not the first time I've taken a beating for this boy,_ she thought, and then a blinding pain in her arm and skull, and Eponine didn't think anymore.


	23. Chapter 23

It was Joly who found her, which was incredibly lucky, because her ears where ringing and he kept sliding in and out of focus.

"Eponine?" he whispered, and even that was too loud. She shrunk back, covering her ears. "I'm not going to hurt you," he murmured.

"What happened?" she croaked, her voice sounding like it came from the other side of a long tunnel.

"Marius and Enjolras stopped the police. Enjolras is talking to them now." He looked around worriedly. "Although the damage may already been done. People are leaving in droves."

She blinked, trying to rearrange her thoughts in a somewhat linear pattern. "Is someone... talking?" she asked. Joly nodded.

"Marius," he said. "Eponine, what happened to you?"

She ignored the question, her brain latched on to the first thing he had said. "Marius. I need to- to talk to him- I need to-"

"Okay. Okay," he soothed. "I'll go get him. I just- Bosseut!" She winced at the noise and Joly stroked her arm gently to calm her. A shining head appeared in front of them.

"What happened?" Bosseut asked quietly.

"I'm not really sure," Joly said. "Watch her while I go get Marius, please? Just keep her talking to you. I'm pretty sure she's concussed."

Bosseut looked panicked. "You want to leave her here with me? Remember the cactus? You want to repeat that with Eponine?"

"Cactus?" Eponine whispered.

Joly tried to smile at his boyfriend. "Sweetie," he said reassuringly, "not even your luck is that bad."

Bosseut looked unconvinced but didn't argue as Joly darted off through the crowd. Bosseut took her hand. "Stay with me, Ponine," he murmured, squeezing gently. "Stay with me."


	24. Chapter 24

The crowds were beginning to disperse. Marius, of all people, along with Enjolras, had stopped the police from arresting them all- they had pulled out some fancy law talk and persuaded the police to leave until they had the proper authorization. It wasn't enough, though- people were spooked, and Enjolras had disappeared. They looked at each other, unsure of what to do.

Suddenly, there was a great crackle from the microphone. Marius Pontmercy had taken the stage. "Hey," he said to the people gathered in the park. "Listen."

"Is he drunk?" Fey asked in quiet astonishment.

"I'm nowhere near as eloquent as my friend you're about to hear speak," Marius continued, "But I thought you'd all like to know why it is we're here." He took a deep breath. "We're here for friendship. We're here because this bill threatens to take away our basic right to love each other. This here," he said, holding up the stack of papers. "It says that anyone suspected of being a terrorist can have their rights taken away from them. And it won't stop there. This bill is opening a window. And they may say it's letting in fresh air, but it won't be long before the flies descend."

The people in the square were nodding. Others paused on their ways to classes to listen to this scruffy haired boy in the untucked shirt.

"If I'm a suspected terrorist, they can arrest me for having a coffee with my friends. They can arrest my friend's families, and their families's friends. Can't you see the spiral? That's why we need to stand up right now and make our voices heard. We need to make Washington see that this is not alright."

"What's going on?" Enjolras murmured. They all jumped and turned to face him.

"Marius is saving the day," Ferre said incredulously. Enjolras watched quietly, a small smile creeping across his lips.

"Will you stand with us?" Marius asked, his eyes scanning the crowd. They lit on Enjolras and his face melted with relief. "Stand with us and make our dissent known!" He finished. The crowd roared with approval. Enjolras stepped forward and clapped him on the back.

"I warmed them up for you," Marius murmured. Enjolras smiled.

"Oh, I think you did more than that."

Marius nodded, looking dazed, and descended into the waiting arms of Les Amis, who eveloped him in hugs and air kisses from Fey.

"Thanks," Ferre whispered fervently. Marius nodded. Joly yanked on his arm impatiently.

Enjolras had now begun to speak, his voice ringing with it's usual passion and power. They looked around, watching as the people gathered were once again sucked in by his speech. In his beat up leather jacket and worn jeans he seemed somehow holy, like a priest leading the devout.

He finished his speech and nodded to the Amis, who quickly dispersed into the crowd, raising the volume to a dull roar. Ferre darted around the edge of the platform and found Enjolras in deep discussion with Eponine's little brother.

"They're waiting for some kind of confirmation or permission or something," the boy said. "Once they get that they can stop you."

Enjolras nodded. "Thank you," he said. "Now I want you to go back to your sister."

"She's not here."

"What?"

"Ponine's not here."

"Where is she?"

Gavroche shrugged. Enjolras looked over at Ferre for help.

"I think she's with Cosette," she said tiredly. "Because we didn't want to be worrying about having Cosette here, let alone Eponine's little brother."

He looked up at her pleadingly. She sighed and reached out for the boy. "Let's find Jehan," she said. "He'll take care of you."

Both boys smiled, Enjolras in relief and Gavroche in triumph. "But I'm calling your sister," she added. Gavroche pouted but came with her. She wandered through the crowd, handing out pamphlets with one hand and dialing Eponine with the other. The phone went straight to voicemail and she hung up with a curse, looking around for the boy. He was earnestly explaining to a tall student about the pamphlet he clutched in his grubby hand. She retrieved the boy and hurried on her way.

After a half an hour of walking around in circles, she realized that Jehan was nowhere to be found. She darted back over to the podium, where Enjolras watched Fey highlighting their main issues with the bill. She tugged anxiously on his sleeve.

"Jehan's missing," she said, her brow wrinkled in worry.

"What?"

"I've been walking around for a half hour and I can't find him."

Enjolras already had his phone out. "Did you get in touch with Eponine?" he asked, the phone pressed to his ear. She shook her head.

"It went straight to voicemail."

He nodded distractedly. "Jehan?" he said into the phone. "Where-"

Ferre stood on tiptoe to press her ear against the phone in an attempt to listen in.

"We'll come get you," Enjolras said steely.

"No!" she heard Jehan say. "I'll be fine, Enjolras. You stay. It's much more important-"

She grabbed the phone from Enjolras. "Jehan, don't be ridiculous. If you're in trouble-"

"I'm just being taken to the station, Ferre. Look, they want me to hang up now. Keep fighting, kay? Don't worry about me. I'll be out in a jiffy."

"Jehan!" she cried, but he was speaking again, quickly,

"I got to go, Ferre. I'll be fine. Be safe. I love you." And the phone clicked off.

She looked up at Enjolras. "We're down two men," she said quietly.

He nodded. "I'd say we have about two hours before this all blows up in our face. Maybe you should-"

She shook her head determinedly.

On the podium Fey was winding down. Ferre stepped up to the stage. "Two hours, you say?" she asked, looking down at him. He nodded. "Then let's make it worth it," she said determinedly.


	25. Chapter 25

When Marius arrived, he didn't ask any questions. Joly practically dragged him over to where she sat up against a tree. Bosseut looked up, his face melting with relief. Marius knelt beside Eponine and gently took her into his arms. She nearly screamed with pain and he flinched back. "What?" he gasped.

She lifted her arm shakily. "It hurts," she rasped out quietly. He took it gently.

"Well, good," he fumbled for words. "That's good, Ponine, we can fix that easy-"

"I'm not that bad," she murmured. "Just my arm, and my head. I feel better, now that you're here."

Marius looked up at Joly. "Her head?" he mouthed.

"I think it's a concussion," he said softly. Marius looked back down at Eponine. She had wrapped herself up in her arms and closed her eyes. Suddenly they sprang open.

"Marius," she gasped. "Marius, you have to look in my coat pocket."

"Your- your pocket?"

"My coat pocket." She looked over at Joly.

"Joly, I feel better now."

He smiled down at her. "That's good, Ponine," he said.

Marius had extracted from her pocket a folded piece of lined paper.

"What is this?" he asked.

"A letter," she said. "From Cosette."

"From-"

"Cosette. It's important. Marius, you've always been- nice- to me. I have to be nice to you now."

"Eponine-"

"Hush! I don't want you to read it here. Go away and read it."

"Ponine, I'm not going to leave you-"

"Marius! It's okay. I came here and I hoped- I hoped that you would be happy- without her... but you can't be, Marius, you can't be-"

"What?"

"You can't be happy."

"Why not?"

"Because Cosette loves you," she said with a low moan. Joly was at her side in an instant.

"I'm calling the hospital," he said. Eponine frantically shook her head, then moaned in pain. "Fuck," she hissed. Joly scooped her out of Marius's arms.

"Don't take me to the hospital, please, Joly," she said, and the begging tone in her voice was what terrified them most. Eponine did not beg.

"Okay," he stammered. "Not yet."

She sat up as much as she could and stared at Marius.

"Go," she said. He nodded, bending down to kiss her forehead. She smiled at the touch and looked up at him. "Do you know," she said, her voice full of wonder, as though she herself was just discovering it now, "I do believe I was a little bit in love with you."


	26. Chapter 26

When Jean Valjean was twenty years old, he drove his friend to what he would later discover was a drug dealer's house. His friend offered him thirty bucks to drive him, thirty bucks which Valjean could use to buy groceries for his sister's three kids. His sister was twenty two. She had had her first child when she was seventeen. Valjean had been living with her in her tiny apartment over the laudromat since he was fifteen when their father had stepped in front of a train piss-drunk and their mother had slit her wrists in the bathtub after a bad trip. Valjean worked odd jobs and his sister worked as a bartender to support the kids. There was no father in the picture for any of them, something he and his sister acknowledged but never discussed.

The police showed up at the house where his friend was buying pot and arrested Valjean. He was sentenced to jail for five years, but his sentence was extended over and over again. He was released after nineteen years, angry, bitter, and alone. His sister and her son were dead and his nieces had disappeared. Valjean did not waste much time searching for them.

He could not find any honest work and fell into a restless pattern of welfare checks and begging for coins on the side of the road. He hated himself a little more every time a coin dropped into his cup.

One day he was begging outside of a church when the priest appeared and invited him in. He let Valjean stay in the upstairs room for the night. Valjean had never been inside of a church before in his life. He had not concept of the holiness that is a sanctuary. In the middle of the night, he crept down into the church and stole the offering and the priest's keys.

He was pulled over for a busted taillight, of all things, and brought back to the church to return the stolen items, where the priest astounded everyone by giving Valjean everything he stole and more, writing him a check for all the church's administrative duties he carried out. Afterward the priest, whose name was Myriel, told Valjean that he should not thank him. He should thank god.

Valjean was a different man after that. He used Myriel's money for a plane ticket and moved halfway across the country, breaking his parole and changing his name in the process. He started a small business, hiring mostly young women from impoverished families to help keep them off the streets. He sent a quarter of his profits every year back to that little church in the city. It wasn't his idea to run for mayor, but he was eventually persuaded by the idea of passing legislature to help children in need find good work. He was successful, but he was modest. He still rented his tiny house in the middle of the town, and he kept mostly to himself, managing to stay an aloof benefactor to his entire community for years, until a police officer on the verge of a nervous breakdown was transferred to his town. A policeman named Javert.

Javert had been one of Valjean's prison guards. He had been moved out west partly as a promotion and partly to get him out of the city, where he was bringing bad press to the local police for some brutal arrests.

Valjean was even more solitary after Javert arrived, but on one of his late night walks through the slums of his town he could see Javert arresting a young woman, barely more than twenty, who looked, even from the distance from which he watched, ill and tired. He intervened, learning that the girl, whose name was Fantine, was working in the strip club down the street and getting picked up by the customers for money. He attempted to convince her to come to the hospital, but she spit in his face, saying that she only ended up here because she was fired from his business and had to support her daughter somehow. Horrified, Valjean made it his mission to save her, but too late. Fantine died from the AIDS virus in the hospital a few weeks later.

Javert recognized Valjean as an ex-convict and attempted to have him arrested before learning that another "Jean Valjean" had been found and was currently on trial for several robberies. Horrified at his mistake, he informed Valjean of this, who was possibly even more horrified. After a long debate, he decided to fly to New York to save this innocent man, leaving Fantine in the hospital. After confessing, he returned to his town in time to watch Fantine die, swearing that he would take care of her daughter in her place. Javert, vindicated at last and seeing Valjean as his ticket back to his previous position of power in the city, arrived to arrest Valjean, who escaped and found Cosette at the hotel owned by the Thenadier family, abused and belittled. He quickly whisked her away, leaving behind Eponine, Azelma, and the infant Gavroche, something he had begun to regret upon hearing about Eponine from Cosette.

Technically, he was guilty of identity theft, tax evasion, and fraud, and had been since that fateful night Myriel offered him the first bit of kindness he'd ever known. He was smart and soon gained a teaching position at a catholic school in the city, the place he figured no one would look for him. Cosette went to school there for the rest of her career. She wasn't lonely, but she didn't have many friends, and this worried Valjean. He loved Cosette more than anything else in his world. She was his sun and his moon and his stars. All the love he had been storing up all his life burst forth onto this little girl when he had taken her away from the Thenadier household. Four years after she began at the catholic school he transferred to the university she now attended and was known as Dr Fauchevault.

And yet Valjean was like all good fathers. He only wanted what was best for Cosette. Unfortunately, he didn't think that what was best for Cosette was Marius Pontmercy, because one day as he was wandering about campus he had seen Marius speaking earnestly with none other than Inspector Javert.

Valjean could not help it. He was suspicious. He did not know that Marius was arguing that his friend Enjolras should not be arrested and that Jehan had every right to be in that tree. He was still a criminal, even if he had done no harm in over twenty years. He thought like a criminal, and a criminal never forgets those who have done him wrong. He did not trust Marius, suspecting that Javert may have been using the boy to get close to him. Paranoid, maybe, but perhaps not, because Javert, too, never forgot. All Valjean knew for certain was that he wanted Cosette away from Marius.

And so it was that when she received a text from Marius Pontmercy at about noon he picked up her phone from where it was lying on the counter, read the following text: _Don't go to Paris. I love you too,_ grabbed his coat, and headed off to the rally to find this boy.


	27. Chapter 27

"Hello, sir, would you like to help us rid the world of injustice?" a voice said from his elbow. Valjean looked down to see a gap toothed, towheaded child, like a grubby little valentine's day cherub, holding a pamphlet out to him. He bit back a smile and took the paper.

"What is this for?" he asked.

"Anti-terrorist act," the child lisped. "We're making our voices heard."

Valjean flipped through the pamphlet. One name on the back of the pamphlet caught his eye. "Do you know Marius Pontmercy, son?"

"Yeah. Why're you asking?"

"He... knows someone I know. Is he here?"

The boy shrugged. "He's off somewhere. He disappeared for a bit. Ain't seen him in a while." he looked slightly concerned. "Nor Bosseut either, and he promised to get me a cup of coffee."

"Gavroche!" a voice cried irritatedly. "Where the hell-" A petite girl with dark honey hair stopped short in front of them. "Dr Fauchevault," she said, surprised. "What are you doing here?"

"Hello, Combeferre," Valjean said, recognizing Cosette's other roommate.

"Are you looking for Cosette?" Ferre asked. "Because she isn't here. At least, she shouldn't be. Gav, have you seen Joly?"

"Nope," the boy said, shaking his tousled head. "I'll go find him." And he darted off into the crowd.

"_Damn _it," Ferre said. "I'm sorry, Dr Fauchevault, I'm kind of supposed to be watching him. If I see Cosette I'll let her know you're here."

He started to protest but the girl was already gone, darting back into the fray to find the kid again.

What was he doing here? This was ridiculous, truly ridiculous. He was getting paranoid in his old age. There was nothing the matter here. Absolutely nothing. Well, except maybe this bill being passed. He flipped through the pamphlet, shocked at what he was reading. He headed forward into the crowd, his head bent over the paper- the kid who had written this was good, Valjean wished he had some like him in his classes- and promptly walked into someone's back.

"Pardon me," he said, looking up into the face of Javert.


	28. Chapter 28

Marius had no effing clue what was going on, which was normal for him, but in this situation was turning out to be quite a liability.

It all started with the text he had gotten from Eponine, which was mysterious in and of itself. Then he'd shown up and almost gotten arrested, arriving just in time to see the fight breaking out. More than arrested, actually- if someone hadn't shoved him out of the way at the last moment he probably would have had a broken skull. He didn't even know why he'd gotten up onto the stage to speak- crowds terrified him, he'd almost vomited before going onstage in the Christmas pageant as Joseph- but he had, and somehow what he'd said had convinced people to stay. And then Joly had practically pulled his arm off to get him to Ponine, lying on the ground, injured badly, they didn't know from what, Ponine, who had gripped his arm, handed him a piece of paper, and told him she loved him.

And now, pushing his way through the crowd, was his girlfriend's father, looking irate and terrifying. Marius wondered why he'd bothered to get out of bed.

"Dr Fauchevault?" he asked, timidly, as the other man grabbed onto his arm. "What are you doing here?"

At that moment another whistle blew. On the stage, Enjolras whipped around, his face paling. "Damn," Fauchevault hissed. He pulled on Marius's arm. "Come on, boy, we have to get out of here."

"What? Why?" Fauchevault began to pull him out of the crowd. "No," Marius protested. "I have to help my friends."

The crowd was beginning to panic again, even rowdier and worse than before. Fauchevault kept looking over his shoulder. Marius planted his feet. "I'm not going anywhere when my friends are still here," he said, looking up at Dr Fauchevault, who sighed and scooped Marius up over his shoulder.

"Listen to me, boy," Fauchevault said. "I am giving you the benefit of the doubt here. Don't make me regret it."

Marius was frozen in shock.

* * *

Valjean, carrying the boy over his shoulder- he couldn't just leave him, he knew what happened at these things- was fleeing. It was the best way to put it, because here he was, with Javert hot on his heels, Javert, who had a dozen reasons to arrest him and lock him up for all eternity, Javert who would take him away from Cosette. Javert had called in for back-up. the police were swarming the protest. They would find him and lock him up again. For longer this time. He had to get out.

And then he saw it. Javert, the man he had feared for so many years, who had hunted him, dehumanized him, who had come to represent every injustice Valjean had ever faced, tripped. He tripped, stumbled, and fell onto the ground. Right in the thick of the crowd. If he left him there, he could die. He probably would die. So many feet- it would be beyond easy for one to land just right on the inspector's neck. Valjean should have run. But he didn't. He dropped Marius back to his feet with a curse and darted into the crowd. He couldn't do it. He couldn't leave Javert there to die. And so he grabbed the other man by the arm and pulled him to safety.

A moment- the two men stared into each others eyes- and then Valjean nodded knowingly at Javert and ran back into the crowd to find Marius.

* * *

The damn kid had slipped her watchful eye once again when the whistle blew. Ferre cursed, turned, looking for him, even as the crowds began to run and shove around her. She saw him, his little face alight, his tiny feet flying to keep up with the crowd, and she knew what was going to happen before it did, and she watched as the little boy fell to the earth and the crowd kept running around him, and she ran towards him and just threw her body on top of his, tucking her head into her chest and praying.

* * *

Joly was at first relieved when he heard the sirens, thinking that it was the ambulance coming at last to help them. He was horrified to see the police sweeping the panicking crowd, even more horrified when they headed towards him with their handcuffs swinging. He tried to stop them but they had already yanked the limp Eponine out of his arms and were shoving him into the car behind her, deaf to his protestations about concussions and first amendment rights, and, sirens blaring, drove them back to the station.

* * *

The police were everywhere. The end was coming. He couldn't find Ferre. He couldn't see Fey. Gavroche was gone somewhere in the fray, Feuilly, Joly, Bosseut- his friends were disappearing fast into police cars- if they were lucky. Enjolras stood alone on the stage, all pretense of attempting to maintain order abandoned, screaming down at the crowd about injustice, about tyranny, about democracy, his only thought to keep the fight going for as long as he could.

A hand suddenly was thrust up towards the stage. "Help me up," Grantaire said. Enjolras stared down at him in disbelief. "Come on!" Grantaire snapped.

"What?"

Grantaire's eyes were shockingly bright and clear. "Help me up," Grantaire said again.

"Why?"

"Because," Grantaire said, a devilish grin spreading across his face, "we can't just let the bastards win." He pushed his hand up once more. "That is, if you permit it," he said, his resolve faltering for a moment. Enjolras looked at the hand and then at Grantaire. The other man stared at him, a fire in his eyes Enjolras suddenly recognized as the one that burned inside of him, and the devilish grin was on Enjolras's face too, and he clasped the other man's hand and pulled him up beside him, and together they screamed for justice until the police chopped the stage down.


	29. Chapter 29

Dr Fauchevault drove about halfway to his house before pulling over sharply to the side of the road right next to a train station. Marius actually thought, _this is it, he's going to kill me,_ before Dr Fauchevault handed him the keys.

"You know the way to my house from here?"

Marius nodded.

"Alright," Dr Fauchevault said. "I want you to go to my house and tell Cosette that I'm probably not going to be home for a little while. There is a notebook in a chest in my room, she knows the one, that has a list of all the financial assistance she's going to need. I need you to tell her that, alright?"

"Sir?" Marius asked.

"Don't ask me where I'm going, son. Just tell her its for her safety."

"For her safety?"

"And tell her I love her. More than anything."

Marius nodded before stammering out, "Are you in the mob?"

Valjean smiled. "Do I look like I'm in the mob?"

"No."

"I'm not, if that reassures you. There's just something I have to do, now that it's been started."

Dr Fauchevault opened his door and got out of the car. "Take care of her, Marius."

"I will," Marius said. "Dr Fauchevault?" he called after the other man. "Thank you. For pulling me out of there. And if you see any of my friends, let them know I'm alright." Dr Fauchevault nodded, and Marius watched the other man walk up the steps to the train station before putting the keys in the ignition and driving away.

* * *

"Please," the boy said, his face pale as he supported the girl. "She's injured- concussed-"

"Sir?" the officer said, looking over at Javert, who sighed.

"I don't see anything here," he said deliberately, slowly, "except a couple of drunk and disorderlies inciting the people to riot. Put them in with the others."

The boy made a sharp noise of protest, the girl hanging limp off his shoulder. His eyes flooded with tears. Javert turned away.

He had been so close. Why hadn't he grabbed him? Handcuffed him right then and there and been done with it?

And more importantly, why had Valjean saved him?

No. No. He had work to do. Work. Work that he was unable to-

No.

He should track him down. He knew that he lived somewhere near here. He should track him down and- and what? Arrest the man who had saved his life?

He hadn't really saved his life- but no, he had. Or more importantly, he had risked himself to save Javert even if Javert might not have been in absolute danger, just like he had for that girl from so long ago. Like the man under the car. Like the whole damn town.

He strode into his office, ignoring the questions of the other officers except to bark out a quick "figure it out for your own damn selves," and tore down the bulletin board on which was stretched a huge map of the United States with pins in his potential locations. Then he took a deep breath, tossed the map into the garbage can, and rehung the bulletin board.

He was just one man. Just because one criminal may have had a soul didn't mean that the rest of them did. So why couldn't he stop thinking about that family he'd sent to various prisons across the country, or the man who'd begged him to send word to his wife, or that damn girl Valjean had tried to-

There were just so many of them! Damn Valjean for doing this to him. But no. Valjean wasn't damned. He was.

He took his few belongings out of his desk and placed them in a large cardboard box. Then he went back to the desk and wrote a simple letter explaining that he resigned as chief of police because he was no longer fit for service and walked out of the station, leaving his badge and gun on the desk behind him, heading for the bridge.

He stared up at the sky, then looked back down at the frosty, frothy waters. The sun was just beginning to set. He took a deep breath and stepped forward.

A sudden bolt of muscle and blue silk barreled into him. He fell backwards, landing on his back. Stars popped in front of his eyes and he gasped for air. Whatever had knocked into him rolled over and sat up. Javert looked over at it.

"Oh, fuck, not you," he moaned.

Valjean leaned forward on his knees, panting slightly. "You're welcome," he said, looking over at the other man.

"For what?" Javert snapped.

"Saving your life!"

"Excuse me?"

"You handed in your badge!"

"Yeah?"

Valjean looked confused. "I kind of assumed you were going to throw yourself off the bridge."

Javert raised his eyebrows. "So you threw yourself at me?"

"I had to stop you."

"You're like two hundred pounds of pure muscle. You landing on me is probably more likely to kill me than jumping off this bridge."

"God, well, next time I'll just let you die, then."

"Thanks," Javert said and stood to walk towards the edge of the bridge again. Valjean grabbed his arm.

"What the hell are you doing?"

"I'm handing in my resignation!"

"From what?"

"From life!"

"Javert!"

They struggled for a few minutes, Valjean finally managing to pull Javert off the bridge.

"God, would you take a fucking pill?" Valjean snapped, then realized he sounded like Cosette and took a deep breath. "Why do you want to kill yourself?"

"Because!" Javert cried. "I ruined your life. I ruined so many people's lives!"  
"So you're just going to kill yourself? That's the most selfish thing I've ever heard," Valjean said. "I've done things a hundred times worse than you. I robbed a church, for christssake." Javert looked up at that confession, then hung his head once more. That, more than anything, concerned Valjean. "Javert, listen. I have wished, sometimes, that I could escape that. But I can't, and you can't. Listen!" He raised the other man's face to look at his. "I do not blame you for the things that have happened in my life. I thank god that he has given me ways to overcome it, and I think that He will do the same for you. Javert, all you have to do, to make that feeling of- of desperation, of rage go away is to work to make other people's lives better."

Javert looked up at him. "I don't know how," he whispered.

Valjean smiled in relief. "I'll show you," he said.


	30. Chapter 30

Joly still held Eponine in his arms, gently murmuring to her to keep her attention. Her eyes drifted unfocused at the ceiling. Enjolras, for his part, seemed to be trying to touch as many of his friends as he could. He cradled Gavroche, who they'd thrown in with them until his foster parent arrived, with one arm and the other rested firmly on Fey's shoulder. He had leaned Grantaire up against his knee and Ferre sat stiffly against his side, her breathing rough and labored. Feuilly lay with his head in her lap. Bosseut, Jehan and Bahorel were presumably in different cells, assuming they were still in the jail.

The room was quiet. Scared. Suddenly a terrible retching sound filled the air. Joly swung Eponine over as she began to vomit, convulsing in Joly's arms. He raised a tear-stained face to look at Enjolras.

"Enjolras, she needs a doctor," he said, his voice fragile. "A real one."

Enjolras looked back at him desperately, then down to the unconscious boy in his arms. He stood carefully but swiftly and strode over to the bars. "Hey!" he yelled. "Hey!"

He wasn't sure what was more surprising, that he was answered or that the person who answered him was Dr Fauchevault.

"Calm down, son," he said gently. Enjolras gripped the bars.

"I can't," he said. "They need-"

"I know," he said. "I've got it under control."

The policeman stepped forward, keys in hand. "They're probably just drunk," he said, hesitating.

"Javert," Fauchevault growled.

"She's sick," Enjolras snarled. "They're all sick or injured thanks to you."

"Unlock the door," Fauchevault sighed. Javert obeyed, glaring at the other man. Fauchevault strode in a scooped up the rapidly fading Eponine. "Can you get the boy?" he whispered to Enjolras. Enjolras nodded, gently lifting the tiny Gavroche.

Fauchevault had moved on to Ferre. "Can you walk?" he was asking softly. She nodded with a grimace. "Alright," he said, helping Joly and Fey lift Grantaire. "Javert, go start the biggest police car you can find." Javert opened his mouth to protest, then seemed to think better of it.

The drive over was a blur of Fauchevault snapping at Javert to drive faster and Javert yelling back about the speed limit. Enjolras kept his eyes on Grantaire and the Thenadiers, wincing every time the car stopped. After the first few times Valjean muttered something about being in "a fucking police car" and reached over to turn on the siren. Javert looked like he was about to vomit but continued driving.

They blared into the hospital parking lot shortly afterward. Fauchevault barely spared a glance behind him as he burst into the ER, Enjolras close on his heels. Fauchevault followed the Thenadiers, who were carried off by a couple of doctors, and Enjolras turned to look for his friends.

"Are you alright, sir?" a nurse said to him. He nodded frantically.

"Combeferre," he said. "Grantaire."

"Are you having a stroke?" she asked.

"No," he said. "My friends- they need attention-"

"Alright," the nurse said. "Where are they?"

Ferre limped in at that moment, followed by the delirious Grantaire. "Them," Enjolras said. "Make sure they're alright."

The nurse nodded and pressed a button. "Can you tell me what happened?" she asked, looking up at him in concern.

He pressed a hand to his forehead. He felt weak. His head hurt. "We were at the student protest-"  
"Christ," the nurse muttered. "I heard about that." She directed a pair of gurneys over to Grantaire and Combeferre. Ferre began earnestly arguing with one of the nurses. She finally sat down on the gurney and pointed at him.

"Get her out of here," Enjolras muttered, swaying dangerously. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Fey heading towards him, heard Ferre shout his name, and then the ground rushed up and he saw and heard only blackness.


	31. Chapter 31

When Eponine woke up, she had a pounding headache. She cracked open an eyelid and moaned. The light hurt her head like a knife through the eyes.

"Eponine?" she heard a low voice ask worriedly.

"Can you turn off that light?" she mumbled. "It hurts."

The room darkened considerably and a gentle sinking of the bed told her whoever was in the room with her had sat down next to her.

"How do you feel?" the voice came again. Eponine pried open her eyes and saw Enjolras, wearing a hospital gown and trailing an IV.

"Like shit," she croaked. "What happened?"

"You have a severe concussion and a fractured arm."

She blinked. "What?"

He sighed. "What do you remember?"

"Um," she said, thinking. The rally, the police swarming in, Marius, Joly clutching her as they were handcuffed and wrestled into the back of a squad car... it was all hazy and indistinct. Enjolras watched her quietly.

"I should probably let someone know you're awake," he said, reaching over to push a button on the side of the bed.

"What are we doing here?" she asked.

"Dr Fauchevault bailed us all out and brought us here," he said. "Everyone's okay. They're varying degrees of banged up, but they're okay. They're scattered around the hospital."

Eponine nodded. "So why are you here in my room?"

He looked slightly guilty. "I'm hiding," he said sheepishly.

"From what?" she asked skeptically.

"Ferre."

"Ferre? Why would you hide from Ferre?"

He bit his lip. "She's completely overreacting to the fact that I may have... passed out. From internal injuries."

Eponine sat bolt upright and winced slightly. He moved towards her protectively but she held out a hand to stop him.

"What the hell are you doing out of bed?" she snapped.

He groaned. "Oh, god, not you too." Eponine would have smacked him if she wasn't afraid of re-injuring him.

"Internal injuries? Like your insides were bleeding?"

"Kind of?"

"Enjolras!"

"I'm fine!" he huffed. Eponine shook her head.

"Get back in bed," she said authoritatively.

"Eponine-"

"Back!"

He sighed heavily but obeyed. She glared down at him. "And I'm guessing you didn't say anything until the last minute, of course."

"Gavroche was unconscious in my arms and you were vomiting in the corner. Ferre had three cracked ribs and a stage fell on R. No, I didn't mention my slight dizziness and headache."

"What happened to Gavroche?" she asked worriedly.

"He's fine," Enjolras said. "Concussed, like you, but no broken bones or anything."

"What was he doing there?"

Enjolras shrugged. "He just showed up. We thought he was with you, but then it turned out you weren't there, and then you were, and we tried to find Jehan but he was gone, and... then all hell broke loose. He got knocked over and Ferre threw herself on top of him to protect him."

"Can I see him?"

Enjolras shrugged and a handsome doctor opened the door. "Ah, Miss Thenadier. I assume your fiance told you what happened? He was certainly insistent enough on being in here."

"My fian-" Enjolras coughed slightly and gestured to himself. She glared at him and he looked innocently up to the ceiling. "Yes," she said, gritting her teeth. "He's been very informative."

"How do you feel?" the doctor asked.

"Fine," she said urgently. "Can I see my brother?"

"Sure," he said, checking her pulse. "He's fine, don't worry. Your father is sitting with him now."

Eponine blinked, sure she had misheard him. "My what?"

"Your father?" the doctor said, moving in to shine a bright light in her eyes. She hissed in pain and turned to stare at Enjolras. "My father's here?" she asked, half-hoping he would say Courfeyrac was pretending to be their dad.

"I think he means Dr Fauchevault," he said, looking at the doctor. "Is he a tall, graying man, solidly built?"

"Yes," the doctor said. "That's not your-"

"No," Enjolras said. "He's her best friend's father."

"If he's paying Gavroche any attention he can't be my dad," Eponine said. "Let's go."

Enjolras too began to rise. The doctor looked nervous.

"Kids, you can't just waltz down the hall. Your motor functions are still slow and you shouldn't have much visual stimulation. And you," he said, turning to Enjolras, "are locked on bedrest."

"So get me some sunglasses," Eponine said, hopping out of bed. "I need to see my brother." She started to pick at the IV in her arm and the doctor squealed and practically shoved her back in bed.

"You can see him in just a little bit. Please, just lie back down."

Eponine shook her head. "Sorry. I need to check on my friends."

Enjolras sat up. "I was saying that for hours!"

"I thought you were hiding from your friends!"

"Just Ferre," he said, pouting slightly, "and I checked on her when she was sleeping. Before they forced me into a bed."

"Yes, well," the doctor said, "at least she didn't have major surgery today."

"You had major surgery?" Eponine cried, whipping around to face him.

"Not major," he said.

"Enjolras!"

The doctor stepped back. "I'll go get a wheelchair," he said, and made his escape.

The minute he was out the door Eponine threw her pillow at Enjolras. He ducked it easily.

"What the hell is going on here, Enjolras?" she snapped irritatedly.

Enjolras held his hands in front of him as a sign of surrender. "Okay, are you mad about the surgery or me lying to the doctors?"

"Both! But mainly the first. I'm more curious about how you pulled the second off."

Enjolras shrugged. "They wouldn't let any of us in to see you at first, and then when Ferre started yelling at me for 'paying to much attention to the damn cause instead of your own body' I pitched a fit and told them that you were my fiance so they'd let me come in here for some peace and quiet."

Eponine shook her head. "You actually convinced them that you were my fiance?"

He nodded. "It was easy. I just pointed out the ring on your finger and played with your hair till they went away."

"Played with my hair?"

"It's what Fey and Jehan always do."

"You're using Fey and Jehan as your model? They burst into song on the subway."

"Somehow, I don't foresee this ruse going that far."

She nodded, somewhat satisfied with his answer. "And the surgery?" she said.

He looked away and pretended not to have heard her.

"Enjolras, how can I marry you if we don't communicate?" she said sarcastically. "Talk."

Enjolras turned to glare at her and said, very delicately, "At the protest, Grantaire and I were on the stage, and the police were shaking it to get us down, and we fell, and then it fell on top of us, and then they threw us in jail. A little while later, maybe two hours, two of the most frightening hours of my life, Dr Fauchevault bailed us out and drove us here. Actually, he got a police officer to do it. I was carrying in Gavroche and making sure you, Ferre, and R got treatment, and then I collapsed. Next thing I knew I was in a room with Fey and Ferre and Joly, who all started yelling at me and hugging me, so I escaped in here. Apparently, my spleen or something like that was ruptured when the stage fell on top of me. But at least I can drink still, unlike R."

"Why can't R-"

"He's concussed. So technically, I guess you can't drink either." He smiled impishly. "Guess that'll put a damper on the wedding celebration."

"Watch it, asshole," she said. Then her voice softened. "Thank you. For looking after Gavroche. And me."

"Of course," he said, and she really believed it. It wasn't like when Marius said _of course_, like it was a duty, not a terrible burden by any stretch, but Marius understood that something was owed when he said _of course. _Enjolras said it like a fact, like the truth. Like it was as simple and natural as breathing. She felt an overwhelming rush of gratitude towards him.

And then the doctor walked back in, pushing a wheelchair and carrying earmuffs and a pair of sunglasses. He looked relieved that he wasn't walking in on the middle of a lover's spat and helped Eponine into her wheelchair. Once earmuffed and sunglassed, she turned around to blow an exaggerated kiss at Enjolras, who replied, completely blasé, "Bring me back a newspaper, love."


	32. Chapter 32

Cosette pushed her back into her- their- room an hour later, her arms full of get-well presents and cards. It turned out that she and Enjolras had been the worst off. Everyone else was reasonably fine. Gavroche and Dr Fauchevault were earnestly discussing the merits of a toy that Dr Fauchevault had bought for the kid at the giftshop. Grantaire was tormenting the nurses with demands for "_just anything alchololic, jesus christ, or at least some morphine,_" and Ferre was already sending the boys out to get her homework _(Cracked ribs are no excuse for slacking!_)_._ Marius and Cosette had apparently been waiting in the hall for the past twelve hours. She hadn't wanted to see them, the bleary memory of slurring a confession of love to Marius hovering in the background of her mind. But the minute she had been wheeled out, the two of them were at her knees, thanking her for bringing them back together. After being assured in every possible way that Eponine was no longer on death's door, Marius had been sent on errand duty and was currently packing up clothes and books for all those not likely to be discharged soon.

Back in her room, Enjolras was scribbling something on what appeared to be the back of his medical charts. Eponine bit back her complaints about much-needed rest and tossed him the newspaper. He shook it open to the middle and scanned it eagerly. Eponine had already skimmed through it, noting that their protest had made the second page before Joly had snatched it away, shrieking about concussions and over-stimulation. Eponine and Cosette watched with trepidation as Enjolras's brilliant blue eyes froze on the article. His face stiffened and he threw the paper onto the ground in disgust.

"Enjolras?" Cosette started to say, but Eponine reached out a hand to stop her. From her bed she could see the headline that had caught his eye: _Anti-Terrorist Act Passes Congress By Storm_.

* * *

"I can't believe how much stuff there is in the gift shops," Cosette said quietly, opening a pack of gummy candy. Eponine, her mouth already full of chocolate, nodded emphatically and opened a bottle of nail polish. She took Cosette's hand and began to paint her long oval nails.

Enjolras hadn't spoken since she'd given him the paper hours ago. He was pretending to be asleep, but no one really asleep lay that still. Eponine bit her lip in worry. "I wish Ferre was here," she whispered. Cosette nodded fervently.

At that exact moment the door burst open, revealing Fey pushing Ferre in a wheelchair. Cosette's mouth fell open. "Quick!" she cried. "Wish for a million dollars or something!"

"Turn on your TV right now!" Fey cried, ignoring Cosette.

"What?"

"Just do it!"

Eponine tossed Fey the remote. All the rest of the Amis had poured in hot on Fey's heels, and all that Eponine could think was _This room is not big enough for this many men. _

Fey managed to get the TV onto a news channel.

"What is going on?" Enjolras said, sitting up.

"Shh!" everyone else hissed.

Eponine looked at the TV. The president sat at his desk.

"Is never an easy decision," he was saying. "However, the enormous campaign by the people against this bill has opened my eyes to the injustice that could stem from its passage."

"Is he talking about-" she whispered.

"Yes!" Jehan squealed.

On the TV, the president pulled out a stamp and vetoed the bill. "The anti-Terrorist Act is no more," he said stiffly.

The room erupted into cheers. People were kissing, high-fiving, hugging. All the noise felt like someone was stabbing into her head but she didn't care, she was dancing around the room with the rest of them, spun around by Fey, then tossed over to Feuilly, and then Bahorel scooped her up and whirled her around and when she finally stopped spinning she found herself face to face with Enjolras. She just looked at him for a moment, and then she wrapped her arms around his waist and buried her head in his chest. "Good job," she whispered.

"Thanks," he murmured back.

She pulled back to see that all of the others had stopped their celebrations to stare at them. Fey raised his eyebrows mischievous and Eponine shot him a death glare. _What? s_he mouthed grumpily.

Fey just smirked back, and Eponine settled back into her bed, feeling rather unsettled until Bosseut and Bahorel started belting some old drinking song.


End file.
